Have you ever thought about what a life of being truly content looks and feels like? Somewhere in between refusing to settle for mediocrity and learning to be grateful for what you have, the meaning of contentment can become quite disoriented.
I always believed that being content just was a way to settle for an average life and never push yourself out of your comfort zone to achieve great things. I have come to realize that even the most disciplined, ambitious people can be content if their heart is the right place. Content is very different from complacency.
I had a conversation recently with my sister-in-law, Rachel, about what it means to be content in this very season of our lives. The fulfillment that we are both experiencing lately cannot just be a coincidence could it? We have both completed 60 days of the 75 hard program and tested our mental and physical strength, but it is so much more than the “challenge”. I have to believe that the joy we are experiencing is a byproduct of the time we have spent focusing on our faith in God these past 60+ days.
In the past, I have always seen a finish line.
“When I am done with 75 Hard I will be happy.”
“When I lose 10LBS I will be happy.”
“When I have a new house I will be happy.”
My heart constantly searches for the next stage in life, without taking the time to appreciate exactly where God has placed me right NOW. This means I have wasted so many moments that I could have been serving others, but I felt that I wasn’t “ready”. I have come to terms with the fact I will never be “ready”. I must start living NOW. This begins with being content in my circumstances.
I know it is easy for me to say this now as I am loving this season of life. But what happens when the next trial comes. Because it will. What happens when pregnancy doesn’t come easy? What happens when business isn’t paying the bills? What happens when the children I prayed for are pushing every limit I have? Will I be content?
Truth is, I know I will struggle with contentment because I always have. It is easier for me to want the next challenge or pursue more. I believe in the moments when we are searching for more, God has a funny way of taking away all of those things so you can realize your need for him. I have lived this. I have pursued my “happiness” of worldly things and in the end had nothing left but dust from the storm I had created. Through these trials, I am learning to be content in just knowing I have God’s grace from this day forward.
If you are struggling to be content in this season of your life, my prayer for you is that you set a little time aside to spend on your faith. Maybe this means music, prayer, journaling, reading, etc.
Your perspective can be changed. You can be content in all circumstances.
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