Unless you are living the charmed life in a perfect world, it is so easy to become discontent with the life you have. As a young adult entering my senior year of college, seeing my peers in awesome internships and landing fantastic jobs right after college have me looking at my life with discontent and dissatisfaction. There are many occasions where I begin to compare my life with those around me. Suddenly, whatever I do pales in comparison.
For me, I realized after listening to a sermon at church on Sunday that I was not practicing contentment. You might scoff and say who cares if you are content, ambition is what I need to focus on! And yes, you are probably right. It would not hurt if someone lit a fire under me to get me going in some directions. But after a lot of praying, some Google searching, and Bible reading, I believe that ambition and contentment are not mutually exclusive. Rather, practicing contentment can further you in directions that were formally places of hardship.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
These verses remind us that we take nothing out of this world that we have. The fancy car, the beloved Kate Spade purse (just me??), that autographed football from your favorite player, none of those go with you when you go. So instead of pursuing the materialistic goals of this world, remember that some of the happiest and most content people in the world have the least worldly possessions. Not saying to go sell everything and live with just the basics (my Kate Spade is a basic...right??) but I am reminding you that God wants you to be content in this world.
Deuteronomy 8:18
If you have a car, a smartphone, and a closet of clothes, you are doing better than most of the world. This verse reminds you that God has given you the power to be successful. As a college student living in the United States, I am already leaps and bounds ahead of many people my age yet all I see if how far behind I am in comparison to a small number of people. The Lord has placed me in a position to not only be successful but be content with the success that I am currently enjoying as well as my future.
1 Thessalonians 2:4
So, author girl, you might be thinking, if I am allowed to be successful and content WHY is there a third verse. Well my dear reader friend, because if you are anything like me it is so easy to lose sight of what your purpose is. Hop on over to this last verse and have your heart feel a little happier. Your purpose? To please God. My purpose? To please God. That annoying co-worker who never seems to do anything? To please God even if it seems otherwise.
I hope these three verses can give someone a little bit of hope when they look at their life and their future. Maybe you have an amazing internship, job, family, whatever it may be... it is easy to slip into discontentment. Remember, ya can't take it with you when you go so try to find the happiness in what God has given you.
