I've been thinkin about some things lately. I noticed i'm often wanting what i don't have. (online shopping is such a good and bad thing..) We long and wish for things we lack. It could be a higher income, a dream job, a relationship, material things, to fix something that's out of our control, etc. What is it that we want? Do we really need it? I ask myself, "What do I desire? What am I focused on?" When we focus on what we don't have or what we've lost we begin to feel empty. But when we focus on all the things we do have, we begin to see how good our lives really are.
We constantly want to fill ourselves. I'm definitely not saying that it's wrong to want things. In many cases it can be a good thing. To want to be healthier, to want to strive towards our goals, to want more peace, to want healing, to want positive relationships, to make better choices, to move on, or to grow in character. However, some of the things we want can easily turn into idols. We think, "Man, if only I had _______" then I would be happy. So we buy things, we chase after and pursue things to try and fill the void. And the truth is, we really don't need the majority of these things to be happy, it's more of a want.
I've been trying to change the way I think by keeping things in perspective. My dad once said, "As you get older, you'll realize that there's a lot of things you have to do that you don't want to do." I've struggled with self-discipline since it's so easy to be lazy and stay within your comforts. I think i forget how much wealth and luxuries I have. I often complain about first world problems, I think, dang I hate folding laundry, but shouldn't i just be grateful that I even have clean clothes? No one enjoys washing dishes, but instead, maybe I can be thankful for even having food to eat and clean water to drink. If traffic is a pain, maybe we can be thankful for having a car to drive. When school gets stressful, remember that education is a blessing. When work gets tough, be grateful to have a job. And in the same way, I think hardships teach us to cherish the things we take for granted. For instance, when you're really sick, you become more thankful for when you're healthy, and when you've experience feeling alone, you become more appreciative for the good relationships you do have, and the people around you that are there for you.
There's a quote from an old poem that says something like, "I cried because I had no shoes, until i met the man who had no feet." It reminds me to put things in perspective. It reminds me that I don't truly know suffering and real hardship. It reminds me how blessed I am just to be able to have eyes that see, and feet that can walk. It reminds me how we live in a land of wealthy comforts, when other places don't even have clean water to drink. We envy what others have and forget how fortunate we really are. It reminds me that my problems are kind of petty when you really think about it. It reminds me to be thankful. It reminds me how gracious God is. Remember to always count your blessings.
My dad says my generation is the "now generation." Technology and wealth has led to instant gratification. We can get everything at a touch of a button within a few seconds. (Can you imagine back how life would be without computers and smart phones? dang..crazy when u think about it) We also generally lack a certain work ethic since so much has been given to us. My da used to work 3 jobs and do 18 credits. He paid his own way through school and endured law school with no finicial help. Everything he wanted, he had to earn and gain himself. It makes me feel spoiled since so much has been freely given to me. Im 27 and still depend on my parents for a lot. I want to stand on my own two feet, but life is just so expensive (especially in Hawaii). Unless you're uber succesful, how the heck do you really survive? No one wants to live paycheck to paycheck or be drowning in debt. I guess we all just have to work out butts off for the next 50 years. Can i please just plant a tree that produces money?
Sometimes i worry too much. I overthink. I'm surprised i don't have more wrinkles and grey hair from all the stress. Sometimes i worry about money, singleness, school, my career, and everything about the future. What if i fail at life? What if I don't get a good job? What if I'm not purposeful? What if im just not good enough? What if i end up forever alone? Why do I allow such negative thoughts to bother me? Shouldn't I be finding my contentment and peace in Christ?
Even if i dont succeed in life, even if i fail and don't reach my potential and expectations, don't i still have the love of God? Isn't that enough? Am i fully satisfied in Him? Is He truly my all in all? Is He really my greatest treasure or just someone to turn to when things get hard? The Lord is my shepherd, i shall not want, i have all that i need, I lack nothing. His grace is sufficient. In Him there is fullness. In Him I am truly satisfied.
I can get easily caught up with being only concerned for myself. It's selfish. It's prideful. It's easy to think about what we don't have and not be grateful for all that we do have. We forget to thank God. We fail to appreciate His blessings, and often miss what God is really doing behind the scenes. I know I can get so caught up with trying to do everything on my own that I don't really seek God's will or rely on Him when I should. Even though we continue to sin God just desires a relationship. Even though we don't truly give him the praise that he deserves, he still loves us and just wants to be with us. His grace is greater than all our sin, and that's enough reason to worship him in any and every situation.
I realized that because our daily lives are so filled with distractions and constant stimuli, it's difficult to disconnect and to spend quiet time with God. How often do I really sit down and try to listen to God in silence? Sometimes i'm just too impatient or distracted to slow down a bit. Even 5-10 minutes of intentionally and purposely listening to God can change our entire day, sometimes even just one minute of stillness can do a lot. How often do we truly thank God? What would my life look like if I made God's will my own? What would I look like if I were filled with God's spirit and received all that He had for me?
We constantly need to be refilled, otherwise we get exhausted, sick, stressed and burnt out. What or who is it that refills us? Shouldn't He be my source of rest, peace, joy and strength? He's ultimately the only One who can truly heal, replenish, restore and transform me. How often do we take the power of the gospel for granted? The good news is that we are forgiven by God's grace and accepted just as we are, the great news is that he doesn't leave us that way. He takes away our sin and gives us his righteousness. We have everything we need in Him.
All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with your love
and all I have in you is more than enough
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him." -Phil. 3:7-9
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." -Phil. 4:11-14
