Monday, June 25, 2012

On My Struggle with Being Content

This blog is a place where I want to be real and more open,
which involves sharing my struggles.
Some of them are bigger than others.
The one, I have on my heart right now, may seem small to some,
but what it can do in one's life, is big.

Its about being content. Or, actually it's more about, being discontent.
Last night as I was catching up on the Bible study I'm doing as part of She Reads Truth,
I read about being content. 
It was one of those moments where I was reading the word of God
and I KNEW that He was speaking to me. 
Those moments are hard, but good.
I knew he was saying "Kassie, be content, you have no reason not to be."


He's right. I have no reason to be discontent. 
There will probably always be things I want and things I think I need. 
That doesn't mean that I will always get those things 
and it definitely doesn't mean I can't be content while waiting! 
That's huge for me to realize! Sometimes I have to wait on things and be content with that. 
I don't want to get stuck on the list of things I want because then it's easy to be ungrateful.
That is not the type of person I want to be!
I want to be content. I want to be grateful. 
So, I'm going to work on that because really, I do have so much to be thankful for! 


I have a roof over my head.
There's plenty of food on my plate and clothes on my back.
I have a wonderful husband and son!
Our little girl is growing well and will be here soon!
I know a God who is good in all He does.
That is what I am grateful for today and I will rest in the contentment of those things!

Do you struggle with contentment?
How do you redirect your discontentment to contentment? 
Please tell me! Ideas are always nice! =)

14 comments:

  1. I was just talking about this in the car with my husband after reading something in my MOPs magazine. The article was saying that there is nothing wrong with going for more - reaching for a promotion, more blog traffic, to be better at it all, but that you need to find contentment in the midst of it all. That was freeing for me - to be able to realize that I don't have to beat myself up because I want to achieve more, but that I can still feel happy and blessed to be where I am.

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    1. It is so true! I NEED to be content in the midst of everything!
      Such a good thing to be reminded of and no more beating myself up! =)

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  2. I am on the same boat. It so easy to always want more because that's what the world tells us. I think for me discontentment goes with jealousy. I want more because I see that other people have more. But in reality we should find our satisfaction in Christ. Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. It definitely goes hand in hand with jealousy! I hate jealousy! It sure is an awful feeling to be jealous!

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  3. I really like what Cate said, too! Sometimes I struggle with setting big goals for myself and being content with the way things are right now, even though I haven't met those goals yet :) "Being content in the midst of everything". I often do what you just did- I go through a list of all that I have to be thankful for and I think about where I am now as opposed to a year or more ago. What a great post, Kassie!

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    1. Thank you! I think sometimes goals can make us discontent because we don't want to go through the process of reaching the goals. We want them right now! That's a huge part of discontentment...we just want what we want, NOW!

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  4. I am not content when I am not in God's word and thinking/praying/journaling about it.
    Therefore, I am currently not content.
    It's good that I can't be content without that.

    I struggle to dedicate time to Him...I don't have a place that is peaceful for me to sit and read and pray. I don't make time to do so.
    When Jane naps, I want to blog and do mindless things.

    I know I NEED to be focused on Him. He is my strength, my energy, my contentment.

    Any suggestions? When/where do you find time to blog and pray and read?

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    1. I don't think its exactly bad that you can't be content without His word. I think we eed His word, so we shouldn't be content if we're not in it. But we can't constantly be in His word...not every second of everyday... so I think knowing some of His words and being able to say them to ourselves could help with that!?!

      Dedicating time to Him is hard Jess. I struggle with that at times too. I think we all do! Especially when you become a mom because you have someone else to take care of and when you have a free moment you just want to do what you want to do!

      My quiet time isn't always quiet or at a certain time. For a while I was doing it in the morning while Braden watches cartoons. I can't seem to get up before him...just exhausted. I've done it in the evening as well. I think what has been helping me is having a set devotional. The one she reads truth is going through (if you click on the she reads truth button on the side, you can read about it) now is about surrendering. I think it just helps me to be doing that and being connected with others doing it. Even though its over the internet, it really has been helping me a lot. It keeps me accountable but I don't feel pressured! I just love it!

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  5. Thanks Kassie :)
    I am the same way...it is so hard to get up before Jane...I am too exhausted in the morning. But, I am trying to get up earlier to make breakfast for Justin before work, so maybe I can put just an eensy bit more of effort in to stay up instead of cuddling back in bed until Jane wakes!
    And I am starting a study about joy at my friends church, but it doesn't start until July, but I am hoping that helps keep me accountable and reading. One of my close friends is doing it with me, so I'm sure she will keep me accountable. I just hate waiting around for things to start when I know I should be reading now.
    Anyway. Thanks for responding. Since you have been a mama a bit longer, I figured you had dealt with the same struggle :)

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    1. Even though I've been a mama a bit longer, I still have no idea about most things! =)
      Maybe you can find something to read before that study starts? If you get you version (on your phone or even on the computer) there are shorter or longer (whatever you please devotionals).

      Its definitely hard to get up in the morning... good for you for getting up to make Justin breakfast! James gets up with just enough time to get to work and I sleep until Braden wakes up...which is really awful, but at this point, I just go with it!

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  6. I have been struggling with this a lot. I feel like I'm settling right now, and I'm NOT content. But I feel like there are a lot of decisions that have been needing to be made that I'm finally making. Now I'm starting to get there...

    I have been loving the #SheReadsTruth study, by the way!


    Christen :>
    www.anunordinaryhello.com

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    1. Making decisions is good! I definitely think God wants us to do that... He doesn't want us to settle/sit if we are suppose to be doing something! But if we can't do anything about something...or its just the way life is going at the moment...then we are to be content! That's what I think!

      Yes, she reads truth is awesome! Has helped me get back into the word so much!

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  7. I definitely know how you feel! It is such a struggle not to get caught up in being discontent. :(

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    1. I know! I found myself struggling with it a lot today...even after writing this post! So tough...but I hope I can move past it!

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