Finding Contentment

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want,
but the realization of how much you already have.
~Unknown

Contentment: being mentally and emotionally satisfied with life.

Okay, just who are those people? In this day and age of more More MORE, finding someone who is content with their life is almost impossible. We all have visions of what our lives should be like. We all have aspirations and goals. Is that really such a bad thing?

I read somewhere if we have a roof over our head and a meal on our table, we’re richer than 93% of the people in the world. If we wear a pair of shoes, we’re richer than 75% of the world’s population. On average, every household in the United States has a credit card debt of more than $16,000. Despite having iEverything and living on social media, we still feel discontented and dissatisfied.

I believe the secret is timing. When we are impatient about where our lives are in the here and now, we become less content with the here and now. We begin to compare our lives with those who we think have it better than us (thank you Facebook). We find ourselves irritable and resentful towards family and friends, not stopping to recognize, acknowledge and be grateful for what we do have. Perhaps….just perhaps we are in this very place for a specific reason. Perhaps…just perhaps if we were granted exactly what we think we need, it would be a huge mistake. Be careful what you wish for……….

Perhaps….just perhaps what we want is not what we need.

In the words of a very wise carpenter:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ~Matthew 6:25, 32-33

But back to those dreams and goals…..certainly it’s not bad to want to better ourselves, our lives and the lives of our children. We should strive to be the best version of ourselves we can possibly be and strive for excellence in all we do. We’re all blessed with a working brain and skills to achieve amazing things in our lives. Knowing when to make those moves is elusive at best. Good intentions aside, make the wrong decision just because we want something different could make our lives a lot worse.

Trust. It’s almost impossible to trust that situations and event are unfolding for a reason…despite our best efforts to change our circumstances. We worry and become disillusioned with the way things are progressing…or regressing. We want what we want…..and we want it NOW! It’s very hard to be satisfied with our current circumstances when we long for something different.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:6-7

May we all find contentment in whatever situation we find ourselves in this week, and realize just how many blessings we have already been given.

For we know assuredly that if we are faithful God will cause all things to work together for our good ~Romans 8:28

Linking up with Lisa’s Life Though the Lens and Kim’s Friday Finds