If someone asked me how many times I've played Phase 10 this semester, my answer would be: too many.

I love Phase 10. It's not really a game about strategy, which is great for me because I'm awful at strategizing. It's easy to play. It's relaxing, but it's also competitive. It allows me to get my mind off of school work, and enjoy some time with my friends. Spending a whole night playing Phase 10 is by far one of my favorite things in the entire world to do.

My friends and I often joke that we're old ladies because all we do is sit around playing card games. It's the best.

I was recently listening to a podcast where the pastor discussed various seasons of life. He explained how we often live life eager to move onto the next phase, instead of being grateful for the one we are currently in. How we think, "Oh, whenever this happens, then I'll be happy," or, "Whenever this is over, then I'll be content." But, before we know it, we've thought this way our entire lives. We've only lived for the "What's next?" mentality, not the here and now.

I've come to the conclusion that our lives often resemble that of a very long and strenuous game of Phase 10.

We get frustrated whenever we see someone else who is farther along than us. They seem happy, like they have everything we don't. We think that if we can just get to the phase of life they're in, then we'll be happy too.

We say things such as, "Well, they're out of college and have a real job. Maybe when I'm there, I'll be happy too because I won't have to worry about the homework I have or the money I don't have."

We get impatient whenever we get stuck in a particular phase of life, and just cannot seem to move on from it. We may asks ourselves questions such as, "Why am I still single? Is there no one out there for me? Will I be single forever? I just want to find love. That's all I want."

I know from experience that getting frustrated and impatient with where I am right now is evidence that my priorities are all out of whack, my focus is in the wrong place, that I am selfishly working towards my own goals and dreams, and that God is ultimately not first in my life.

Life is tough. It can be full of disappointment. It can be exhausting. It can be sad, and full of sorrow. It can be messy, and dirty. It can be confusing, and chaotic. It's easy to believe the lie that we will overcome all of these things once we reach a certain age, phase, or season. But the truth is, there will always be another challenge, another goal, and another prize. We have to know that we will not overcome these things, because we are not meant to. We are called to live messy lives; lives that don't always look the way we thought they would.

Instead of focusing on where we want to be, let's focus on where we are right now, the present. Let's focus on the journey God has called us to in the here and now, and be thankful for His presence in our lives.

In the midst of the difficulty, where we just want to give up because it doesn't seem like life could ever look up from here, let's focus on the grace we are shown each and every day.

I often get stuck on phase 7 while playing Phase 10 with my friends. Sometimes, it takes me five rounds to pass it, which usually causes me to lose the game very badly. It's incredibly frustrating, and I would do whatever it took to skip ahead to the next phase. Life can often be like that. We want to skip ahead to the next phase of life, instead of being grateful for the many blessings we've been shown in the one we're in now.

I want to leave you with three life-and-heart transforming questions: What if the work is the reward? What if the prize is in the process? What if you can find meaning and fulfillment in anything you do when you do it all for the glory of God? Now turn these questions into statements, and live them out. I promise you will soon see change.

Let's all challenge ourselves to reflect on these three questions every single day before we resort to feeling down about where we are in life right now while impatiently awaiting where we would rather be.