We want new clothes, shoes, electronics, the newest phone, the most "aesthetically pleasing" Instagram; we want the best and most trendy items we can get our hands on. In a world full of continual change, we are never happy, never quite content. We are a generation of new. To be liked we have to have the popular things that are typically way over priced and overrated. To get a boyfriend or girlfriend we have to buy the right clothes or say the right things. But what does all of this accomplish. Does it really matter if I have an iPhone 4 instead of the $1000 iPhone X? What does it matter if the tag on my clothes says Walmart instead of Gucci? The truth is, it matters a lot. As much as we like to think it does't, as much as we all like to think we're different, we still care about these things. Even if we shop at Goodwill, we get this sense of accomplishment when we find an item with an expensive label, it's just how we are. I have especially noticed this is college. There's also someone out their that has cuter clothes or the next phone compared to us and we care, or at least I'll admit, I do. And if we don't seem to care about the name brand things and the trendy clothes, we are obsessed with being different, which still means we care. But why are we like this? Why do we pretend to be content, but still get jealous of people who have the things we want. The key part to that question is the end: we're searching for things we want, not the things we need. I'm sure you've all heard it a hundred times; material things don't matter, focus on what's important blah, blah, blah, but the truth is, it's hard not to focus on these things, it's hard to be content. I think the biggest reason we aren't content as humans is because we put too much trust in things other than Christ, specifically relationships. We date people hoping they'll tell us how great we are and how beautiful we look, but the truth is, those relationships end because they are filled with empty promises. Sure, compliments are nice, I totally agree, but don't be in a relationship with someone expecting them to make you feel good, expecting them to fill your emptiness. A boy isn't going to fix all our problems. Putting your happiness in the hands of someone else is like not showing up to work and expecting to still get paid, it's not going to happen. We have to first build that foundation on Christ because guess what, you were made in his image and that is what makes you beautiful, not the clothes you were or the things you say, but because you were made out of perfection. What I find hardest about being content is finding it in the difficult times. That's right, we're supposed to be happy when God gives us challenges and mountains to climb. Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. We know what it's like to be in happy, humbling situations, and we know what it's like to be in challenging, difficult situations, but do we know what it's like to have Jesus in both? The secret to being content in these times is Christ. It doesn't say boyfriends or girlfriends, it doesn't say the number of Instagram likes, and it doesn't say the number on our pay checks, it says through Christ who will strengthen me. 1 Timothy 6:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Fight the good fight of faith. Life isn't a walk in the park, faith doesn't magically make it better. It doesn't say walk the good walk of faith, but fight the good faith. It's a two way street, not just God fulling what we think are our needs. 2 Cor. 12:9-10 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” …Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” With insults and with difficulties, we are called to be content. What a difficult thing to do now a days. We are going to be insulted as people and as christians, but with God, we will be strong enough to be content in those situations. Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Content: 1. in a state of peaceful happiness How can you feel peaceful happiness without knowing Jesus walks before you? With midterms and lots of studying, it's been a while since I last posted, but God hasn't stopped putting this topic on my heart. I realized, sitting in the comfort of my life long home with my family, that the things this world often counts as necessary are so overrated. I felt like this was a topic I needed to touch on, as it's been something I've been struggling with and needed to hear myself. I hope you enjoyed this and found it comforting. God bless, Sydney
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