Overcoming Unhealthy Habits - Contentment

 Overcoming Unhealthy Habits

I have learned to be content

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What’s the one thing none of your friends have? Enough.

 

We are constantly seeking more and more stuff in our lives. Every day we wake up feeling like we have to achieve so much so that we can be considered efficient and productive. I wake up, butterflies in my stomach, anxious about what the day has in store for me.

 

We need to remind ourselves of what Paul said:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11

 

I’ve never heard of a monk asking a billionaire for advice. Have you? Yet, I’m hearing about more and more billionaires checking themselves into  monasteries, retreats, and treatment centers, looking for peace in their souls. The daily battle of constantly striving to find alpha, to achieve stratospheric success or just to stay ahead of the game is stealing our peace and causing us pain.

 

What if less really is more? Money isn’t evil, but it sure does complicate our lives. Money demands a lot of our energy to earn and our diligence to manage. These are problems you think you’d be willing to tolerate, no doubt. But we should consider the following...

• What if being content was actually a catalyst for growth?
• What if having enough helped you enjoy what you have?
• What if gratitude opened doors to new opportunities?

Peace leads to progress. Believing that you have enough can lead to experiencing more. We rush through life, chasing a destination but so often we miss all the beauty that is on the path to that destination. Life is filled with experiences, good bad and ugly. But that is life.

 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

 

Let’s take a moment and Imagine we were on a hike, but you took the wrong turn. Later when we met back up at camp, I offered you a bottle of water, but said nothing of the mind-blowing waterfall that I discovered, from which the bottle of water was filled. You would most likely appreciate the cool drink of water, but how tragic to have missed the source of the water. How many of us are chasing bottles of water and missing the beautiful source? How many of us are chasing a temporary blessing and missing the Source of all blessings?

 

God reminds us, “I’m with you. I’ll never leave you. Enjoying My presence is like unleashing a spring of water in your soul, connecting you to things eternal.”

 

Gratitude is such a powerful spiritual weapon. So often I find myself complaining about the circumstances or the situations I find myself in. Gratitude is something we all know we should practice daily BUT it’s not always easy when you’re under attack from every angle. We are reminded:

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23

 

The grateful are inspired to hustle. The content whistle while they work. The satisfied are so because they enjoy the work.

 

People who are learning to enjoy their God and His provisions are also the people who are a privilege to work for and fun to employ. Let’s be reminded daily who we work for today.