by Mischa McCray

Have you ever been around a person who seems to find something to complain about regardless of the situation?  They could be at the highest rated restaurant in town, but there's a problem with the service or the food.  There always seems to be an issue with their house, or their job, or their family, or maybe all of them.  No matter their circumstances, they never seem to be content with their situation.

I think that everyone can struggle with finding contentment in their current life stage.  Part of this is the culture that we live in.  We are told that we need a bigger, better everything.  We get the latest iPhone and two months later a cooler, better, faster one comes out.  We see all the nice cars that our neighbors drive around and we suddenly want a newer, better car for ourselves.  We attempt to find our contentment in just finally reaching that, whatever "that" is for you.  Maybe it's getting that house or that car.  Maybe it's getting that job or that relationship.  Maybe it's getting to retire or having a child or the success of our favorite team.  Regardless, when we expect anything to give us the contentment that we long for, we are ultimately setting that very thing up for failure. 

We know the answer to this.  We know that true contentment only comes through Christ.  But, even when we have Christ, we still will battle with feeling discontent.  That's why I think that the second part of our discontentment, the part that is probably the bigger piece of the pie chart, is ultimately our own sinful desires.  Our hearts our deceitful and tell us that we can find our satisfaction in other things.  So, what is the thing that you are longing for?  What is the thing that you think would give you the fulfillment you long for?  Because those are the things that point us back to the idols that our hearts have made.  I encourage you to find that thing and pray that God would help give you a godly attitude towards it.