It’s funny how we can think we’ve learned a lesson and then a few years later we find ourselves wrestling with the very issue we thought we had overcome. I have wrestled with discontentment for most of my adult life in one way or another. While I was single in my twenties, I struggled to embrace that season and was so often longing for a boy-friend to come into my life. While married, I wished the relationship was different and was discontent most of that season of life. While single again in the last 5 years, I found myself discontent again, waiting on the healing process, waiting on God’s timing and trying to learn something along the way so I wouldn’t find myself facing the very same lesson AGAIN!
Interestingly enough, now that I have been dating for over a year, I am finding myself discontent once again. I’m in a wonderful, healthy relationship with an amazing man, but I am struggling once again to accept this season for what it is: dating. Instead of treasuring the dating days, if I am not careful, I find myself wondering when engagement will come, how long until the wedding…which robs me of truly enjoying the blessings in each day.
Regardless of the relationship status, I have discovered that it is very easy to become discontent!
My discontentment doesn’t end with my relationship status though. It can extend into my professional life, ministry, weight loss journey, etc. I am learning that as a visionary, I can live in the future more than the present sometimes- dreaming and imagining the end result while not always treasuring the every day moments and appreciating the process. I can get caught up with my preferred future, and forget that the journey itself has value.
The apostle Paul describes the journey toward contentment as one that requires learning, so I am embarking on an intentional journey this year of learning the secret of being content in any and every situation.
I sense that the words patience, trust, acceptance, gratitude, and waiting will all be a part of this journey. I look forward to the process and hope that I will learn something this year that I have been missing for the last 20! If you can relate to this battle and this journey, I pray that you find greater joy and acceptance in whatever season you’re in.
GratefulOne 