Spending time with loved ones, family and friends; sitting in your favorite vacation spot and relaxing; having a whole day go by without once questioning your life and life choices. What do each of these have in common? Contentment.
In
many situations throughout life, we find ourselves to be content. But in so
many other situations, we struggle to find the purpose; we sit miserably and
wonder what is wrong with our lives; and we end up questioning our whole existence
and purpose.
Lately,
I myself have been challenged with contentment. The phrase ‘the grass is always
greener’ repeatedly crosses my mind as I think of all the things I could be
doing with my life – seemingly ANYTHING but what I am doing right now.
I
recently began my summer internship. Let me preface this by saying how
wonderful this internship should be: it’s paid and I get college credit, I work a wonderful 8am-4pm day, I can
take as much time off as I want, my department co-workers are wonderful; and
the Corporate Internship Program here at Blue Cross provides interns with fun
events, volunteer activities, and seminars.
And
yet, here I sit, day after day, simply hating my job. I hate that the days seem
to drag by (11:30-11:31 feels like a decade!), I hate that I’m stuck at a desk
doing menial work, and most of all, I hate that my work seems to help nothing in
the grand scheme of things.
I
think I’ve hid the quarter-life crisis 4 years early – and I don’t even believe
in quarter, mid, or whatever else-life crises!
But
then today, I came across this quote from How
to Win Friends and Influence Enemies by Dale Carnegie:
“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or
what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about
it.”
Now
read that one more time. After reading this quote, I immediately thought of
Phillipians 4:11-13: “I have learned
in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I
know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of
facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him
who strengthens me.”
Combined
with the quote from above, I feel convicted to dwell on the small joys of what
I am doing. I may not be helping the world, but I am helping my manager, who is
then able to help her supervisor, on and on.
I
know that I am not alone in my daily struggle to find contentment in where God
has placed me – but that’s exactly what we need to continually remind
ourselves. This is where God has placed me and this is what I am meant to be
doing right now.
No
situation is permanent. Everything we do in life is a stepping stone to the
next stage. It is impossible to tell where the next decision you make will take
you or what is in store. It is simply important to take life one step at a
time, choose to be content, and trust that the Lord’s purpose for you is
perfect.
--Beth
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