Back to Joy and Contentment
If I could change one thing right now, it would be my career. I have this vision in my head of what I want my life to look like. I can close my eyes and imagine sitting in my very own office (with accents of pink, gold, and gray) leading, mentoring, and running a successful publishing company/consulting firm. I can see myself in a nice suit sitting at the head of a conference room table advising and being the kind of manager I myself would want to work for.
Well, this isn't my current reality and lately it seems like the more God reveals to me, the more discontent I've become in where I am. (May I add that when God gives us a vision, He will also guide us and be with us every step of the way. There is no need to rush the process.)
I've been intentionally stretching my faith but I forgot to be grateful for the present. I forgot that being discontent dishonors God. I forgot that praying for increase but not being at peace with what I have in my current season is a far cry from gratitude.
See, I know that I am right where God wants me to be. I get it. I've told you this very same thing on more than one occurrence on this blog. My truth is that sometimes it becomes incredibly difficult to be content when I know I am capable of doing so much more. It has become a full time job to keep a smile on my face for eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. I acknowledge that this isn't okay, but gosh it's hard. I want so badly to be able to fast forward to that day when I'm calling the shots but not even the most eloquent prayer will force the hand of God and push me into a season I am truly not ready for. True contentment is understanding that where we are in life is not by accident. It is finding peace in knowing God has not forgotten about us. It is intentionally practicing faith, patience, and Godly wisdom every single day.
I also acknowledge that lately many of my conversations have been negative, whether I realized it at the time or not. Sometimes we want something so bad that we forget to miss the lessons intended for us to learn right now. Yes, greater days are ahead but the present is what will shape who we are as women, as business owners, as mothers, as wives, etc. God's plans are better than my own. God's plans for YOUR life are greater than anything you could ever imagine or hope for. Do you believe that? Do you trust God's timing? Do believe that God can and will give you what you need right where you are? Are you patient enough to let God lead the way? These are all questions I must ask myself as well.
It's funny how sometimes we forget just how blessed we are because one aspect of our lives isn't picture perfect.
There is this tendency to fixate on what we want to change but in actuality, there is far more to be grateful for than to complain about. So just maybe if we took our focus off of those things that we cannot control and really started trust in God, we would develop in those areas that will prepare us for the future. We cannot get so caught up in what we want that we forget that God knows best. We cannot become so consumed with a dream that we lose sight of the fact that God has ordered our steps, which means that where we are in life has purpose.
When I look back on previous posts on this blog I am always reminded that life is full of ups and downs. Seasons of pure joy followed by seasons of struggle, and then another season of joy. The awesome thing about God is no matter how far we drift away, no matter how many times we fall short, no matter how much we struggle to find our way sometimes, God's love, grace, and mercy are constant (Romans 8:35-39). We must remember daily that our joy comes from God alone. Every single day is an opportunity to depend on Him and when we fall, we must find peace in knowing that God is still with us. Always.
My prayer and hope is simple. I want to be so focused on pleasing God each day that I am not distracted by what could be but rather what is. I have a job. I live in a nice place. I have health and strength. I have a wonderful and supportive family. I am blessed! In those moments when we feel stuck, tired, and, or fed up, that's when we need to be in God's word. The enemy is waiting for any opportunity to sneak in and invade our thoughts, our attitudes, our perspective, etc. That's when we really need to shut off the distractions and sit in God's presence. When we hold on to our joy and learn to be content, there is a greater chance that our decisions are led by the Spirit of God and not temporary frustration (Romans 15:13).
Remember, the present is beautiful and God is in control.
K R Y S T L E
