hard to be content

Recently, I was thinking back a few years and thought about what i really wanted at that time in life. Here's what that short list consisted of:

1. a finance degree
2. an undisputed, resolved situation with a girl 
3. close dude friends
4. to build something wooden

I remember thinking "if i can just have these things.. life will be incredible." I was in the middle of accounting courses, unsettled, transitioning relationships and a lack of masculinity formed by years of watching romantic comedies. There existed in my heart obstacles that robbed me of any real contentment in life. 
I had a fantastic conversation with my friend Newman a couple weekends ago about this and I felt like sharing what we thought through.

I think something we all have in common is the idea that "if that could be done.." then life will be fulfilling.

This could be blown out of proportion b/c I'm a task oriented person with numerous to do lists to pacify my need to feel accomplished, but I've now replaced the list from a few years ago with a new 4 point list with other tasks that will be completed in the next 6-8 months. I often find my thoughts gravitating to this four point list of objectives and it produces in me a sense of urgency and robs me of joy in that time.

The pattern I see is that it's a never ending cycle that could possibly prevent me from ever arriving somewhere I can find rest.

I tend to get really excited or nervous when I think about the chance to complete these tasks or get anxious when I see the potential for them to go unfulfilled.
As surely you understand where i'm going with these thoughts, my two part solution will hopefully arrive just in a timely manner.

1. Remember how this went down before 

I was out mowing yards yesterday and I remembered how just a couple of summers ago, I had some hard things with my job and the deja vu of mowing yards in the midst of difficulty took me back to that time. It seems like in the Bible something the Old Testament always talks about is how God wants Israel to remember how he brought them out of slavery. 

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there." Deuteronomy 24:18

It just makes so much sense that if you can remember the precedent of who God is and how he's previously interacted with you in regard to a situation, it will dramatically affect how you feel about your current situation. When I thought about how God took care of me a few summers before, I just felt a ton of peace and rest in knowing that I'll be ok. Remembering God's strength and faithfulness produces faith and contentment and a great love for God. Pretty key for me in dealing with current life situations.

2. Godliness with contentment is great gain 

This passage from 1 Timothy 6:6 points to something different in my mind. Godliness implies a character and nature similar to God, implying a pretty comprehensive list of qualities are present. I think what this passage is saying is best seen by what wouldn't be true. If I'm not trying to live a godly life, behave in outright rebellion with a variety of habitual sins and have no desire to change, contentment and peace that God gives will most likely be absent. I know for me as a Christian, it's such a place of unrest when I'm behaving in a way that doesn't please God. 

I think what Paul wants you and I to hear is that if you're living a godly life, just enjoying fellowship with God and have a faithfulness to the tasks He has for your life, there's a rest in contentment in that godliness.

I hope you're having a great summer friends!

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