Do you ever feel like you are chasing your tail trying to chase the American dream? Are you working long hours, taking on more work than humanly possible? Maybe you don’t work outside the home, but do you desire to have the perfect house and best dressed, most well behaved kids? Do you sometimes find that you are not satisfied with your talents and that you don’tfully value yourself?
Our culture has engrained in us the notion that not pushing ourselves to do more and be more simply isn’t American. We certainly should always strive to improve our skills and groom our talents. However, we allow Satan to influence us into believing we aren’t good enough, smart enough, wealthy enough, successful enough, attractive enough and so on.
Discontentment can infiltrate our lives in so many ways. Because of our free will, God knew we would be tempted by envy and covetousness. Since the fall of man, we have struggled with this very thing. In fact, it’s the tenth commandment God gave Moses and the Israelites.
"'And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.' (Duet. 5:21 ESV)
Working towards goals to have earthly things is not necessarily a sin. The deep longing and attitude that we are some how incomplete without these things is sinful. Nothing should consume our thoughts, time, and effort so much that we fail to be content with our situation and distract us from whole–heartedly serving our Father.
Consider these words from Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi:
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
As Christians, we are assured that our loving Father has and will provide ALL that we need! His perfect love was demonstrated by sending His son to earth to live in the flesh, face temptations just as we face them and prevail over sin through his death at Calvary. How much more can we desire than this perfect love?
Having a happy heart and focused mind is vital to our walk with Christ. In order for God to use us and mold us into the children He desire’s us to be, we must be content with our circumstance and value ourselves as His children, made perfect and sinless through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Michelle Tittor
Cleburne, Texas
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