Christmas 2016 is officially over.
The presents have been unwrapped. The Christmas-themed footie pajamas have been worn. And the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos have played their game (Dontari Poe for the win).
But as the holidays wind down, we need to remember what we learned throughout the season — about being content with what we have, not just materialistically, but in our lives as a whole.
Christian website Living On The Edge describes the situation quite well: “In America, we’ve been taught to believe that contentment is linked to our accomplishments or constantly getting more. Our basic value is that "more is better." We think, "I’ll be happy when I get married." Or "I’ll be content when I have a second child." Or "…when my marriage is functioning on all four cylinders." Or "…when we remodel the bathroom."
The problem with this line of thinking is that the horizon is always moving. Since there’s no end to our desire to acquire or do more, we’ll never experience contentment.”
Christ doesn’t call for us to be content when X Y Z happens. He calls for us to be content here and now, in whatever situation we are placed in.
However, “Okay, God, I’m content!” is easy enough to say when everything in your life is going well, but it’s tough for somebody to hear if they’re in the middle of a tough situation. So what do you do in those moments when you don’t really feel like there is anything to be content about?
The cliche Christian answer? Pray. The real answer? Pray.
I struggle with this myself. When Christians sit down and pray, they are usually focused on asking for what they want, or telling God what they think would make them happy, and then trying to bargain with God. “If you do this for me,” we pray, “I will give you all of the glory.”
This kind of thinking doesn’t lead to contentment. Masking itself as unselfish, but really being so, it will only lead to disappointment, emptiness, and unwarranted doubt of God.
In John 14:8, Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” The Father needs to be enough for us, as well. Selfish human desires will always leave you bitter, broken, and sad. When you put your faith in Earthly things, they will always leave you disappointed. But Christ has a different plan for us. He needs to be enough for his people. He is the only thing that you need to be content, despite what the world tells you to think.
So this new year, don’t believe the lies that if you can only have this or this or this, then you can finally be happy, because it’s not true. Christ has so much love waiting for us with His open arms, and that is all we need to truly be content. Even the Chiefs winning against the Denver Broncos will not truly satisfy a heart. Make 2017 the year that you can truly explore Christ, and finally be content with Him and Him alone.
