"My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness."

 2 Corinthians 12:9b (NIV)

 

The question, "What do you want?" isn't difficult to answer. A new outfit, a puppy, peace, motivation, etc. all make my list. Between this list and my list of things I want to do, my sense of contentment with my life as-is, takes quite a hit. But we are called to be content. As the verse above implies, God is enough.

Unfortunately, one antonym of content is anxious, and for many, that is a much more familiar feeling. So why is it so hard to feel content? Maybe it is because our list of wants seems longer than our list of haves. Maybe our wants feel like needs. Maybe they really are needs. Regardless of why, no one wants to feel anxious or anything of the like.

So, if you spend more time than you like feeling discontent with your life, self or whatever else, check out this list. Hopefully something on it will help.

Tip 1: Diligently try to keep your focus off of things that you want. Especially if they are not needs.  You could instead focus on how you want to get them. Or, explore why you want them and rationalize the happiness these things will bring. A new outfit always gets old eventually. Sara Bareilles makes a good point in "Uncharted" when she says, "Compare where you are to where you want to be and you'll get—nowhere." Thanks, Sara, for the perspective check.

Tip 2: If you don't want to explore the why behind your wants, or don't think it'll be helpful, then put them out of your head entirely and focus instead upon everything that you have.  If you are having a hard time coming up with a good-sized list, ask your friends. They might have good insight for you. Another option is spending an evening at the soup kitchen serving and talking with the people you meet. You'll learn so much and it might even change your life a little.

Tip 3: Next, make a conscious decision. Be content with who you are, what you've done, and what you have. Easier said than done, I know. But you have a list of things that you do have and you are done dwelling on everything else, so just take it one step at a time. If it helps or is applicable, make lists of things you've done and positive traits within yourself. If you focus on these, it might be easier to be content in the realms where you struggle, be it self-contentment, duty-contentment or material-contentment.

Tip 4: Unfortunately, we can't change everything. For some, it is hard to be content with the way things are in other people's lives, those facing poverty and such (a duty-contentment issue). This is a whole other monkey wrench in your contentment cogs. It is important to remember to decipher between things you can change and things you cannot change. And that is true regardless of which area you struggle to be content. There are some things you can change and there are some things that you can help change, and that is important, too.

Tip 5: Remember verses like 2 Corinthians 12:9. God provides for His people. Even better, "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Personally, it doesn't always feel like I'm taken care of. But I just have to trust that I am. Not easy. But, in the entire time I have chosen to trust even when it is hard, my trust has never been broken. Not once.