We are living in an unusual time in our history and for a lot of us, we are looking at and feeling the loss of many things. Many of the freedoms that we've taken as a given in our society have been suspended in the name of safety etc. and in many cases, myself included, we begin to think of the things we don't have. It's a natural reaction for that thought progression to come across our minds.
That said, it is equally true that one of the most dangerous and damaging mental tendencies to deal with is focusing so much on what we "want" instead of what we "have".
Sometimes for a lot of us, it doesn’t seem to make any difference how much we have; there is this wanting to expand the list of desires, which almost always guarantees we will remain dissatisfied.
It seems like there is this mindset that says, “Happiness comes when this desire is checked off the box” and that same thinking virtually guarantees to repeat itself once that desire is met.
“Happiness comes when this desire is checked off the box”
I have friend who, a few years ago closed and bought a big home during the middle of the week. Not even a few days later when we came to check out the new digs, he was already talking about the next big house was looking to buy!
He wasn’t or isn’t alone; I remember having professionals come to our youth center to talk to young people about options for a vocational career.
One of the young people asked a business man on the panel what his goals were in life. He said, “A bigger house and a bigger car!” I remember thinking that anything of value that was said prior to that comment went out the window for some students as the line was drawn that success was based on the “what” of what we have in our possession.
But they aren’t alone; if we were honest, a lot of us do the same thing in various stages. We want this or that. If we don’t get what we want, we keep thinking about all that we don’t have and that thinking keeps us dissatisfied.
This Topsy Turvy period of time has made it hard to travel to the places we normally go to.
For a while, I was frustrated about what we couldn’t do….. but then I/we started thinking about what we could do and we set out to do what we could and made it work.
While not doing some of what we would have done in normal circumstances, we didn’t lack for memories of a good kind.
If we do get what we want, we, many times recreate the same thinking in our new circumstances and not realize it.
So, despite getting what we so desired, there is still this lack of being content.
Being content can’t be found when we keep yearning for new desires.
There are some things we can do to gain measures of becoming content and it is a mind shift that needs to take place.
One big change is shifting the emphasis of how we think from the “want” to what we “have”.
I heard it said that instead of wishing and hoping our significant other was different, start to think about and appreciate some of their good qualities.
I know this one smacks me in the face: sometimes, instead of wishing we had more salary, it’s to be thankful for the job we do have.
That destination vacation that most of us cannot take right now, start enjoying some of the benefits of what’s near to us in the present.
The opportunities to change the mind set are endless……….
I’ve started to stop and go back to the beginning of a complaining sentence and think of all the blessings in my life and as I ponder on how good God has been to me in spite of the bumps on the road of my journey, I've become much more grateful for all that I do have and have experienced.
It’s amazing how when we focus on the positives of our significant other, things just seem to start to go better.
If we are grateful for our job or whatever that thing is that we weren’t always grateful for before, things start to shift and even sometimes, favor begins to work in our favor just because we had a mindset shift.
Enjoying our near trips and adventures provides us more enjoyment out of those moments and should we get to go to wherever “that place” is, because we learn to be content in any situation will make us appreciate even more those moments when they come.
And even if it doesn’t quite happen the way we may have liked, because we are learning to be content, we can be happy and satisfied no matter.
I started a weekly habit a few months ago and you’re allowed to steal it and use it if you think it will help you.
I walk around the house and for a few minutes, I audibly speak out all the things I’m grateful for and when I do, I see that what I’ve been blessed to have is a long list.
Hard to scream "want" when the "have" list is what it is.
I think especially in this hard time we are living in with the uncertainty, the rules, no rules, the back and forth, the fear, no fear, chaos that we have experienced, it has become clear that we cannot put our trust and hope in government etc., so my peace and satisfaction must come from the blessings that God has put in my life which includes incredible friends, family etc.
I think about this time we live in and it has become clear that we need more than we can muster up as human beings to help us through and I leave you once again with some good medicine from the One who created it all and hopefully, these final thoughts will help us in the times when “Want” and “Have” are battling in our minds!
Philippians 4:11-13 I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
If God’s Fingerprints Are On Everything and If He Can Help Me Learn To Be Content, What's A Small Step In The Right Direction?
Maybe like me, start a weekly list, a daily list to ourselves to start thinking more about what we have as opposed to what we want.
I think if we do, our life will begin to grow seeds of contentment and cause us less anxious moments, worry and one of the byproducts is peace.
Maybe for some of us, it could mean a peaceful satisfaction that we haven’t experienced in a long time!
Cheering us on!!!
Dave
Comments