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Can I be content and still be unhappy?

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Posted by GregQualls | Posted in Religion/Spirituality | Posted on 17-09-2010

I was having a brief conversation with Shannon this morning about an area in my life that I’m just not very happy about.  I don’t find joy in it.  It just really bums me out.  If I had a way out of it, I would take it in a hear beat, but there doesn’t seem to be any hope in sight.

This made me wonder though if I have a problem with being content with what God has given me at this time.  One of the areas that I struggle with in my life is being content.  I always notice the flaws.  I always want the bigger, better, newer, brighter, faster, cooler, etc.  The default of my heart is to be discontent with whatever I have.

So I’ve been seeking the Holy Spirit to work in my heart and help me be content with what God has given me.  But this one situation is really a crappy situation.  It doesn’t seem like God is going to rescue me from this situation any time soon.  So I need to be content, but do I need to be happy about it too?

I have joy that God is using this situation to purify me.
I have joy that God is giving me the strength to get through it.
I have joy that God is loves me enough to pursue me in this.
I have joy that God is providing.
I have joy that God has given me friends suffer with me.
I have joy that God is right here with me and will not forsake me.

I’m content to the extent that I’m not looking for other options.  I’m letting God work in His own timing.  But do I need to be happy about the situation itself inorder to be content? I don’t have an answer for that question at the moment.  So I’ll just keep seeking God and His word in the time being.

  • jenn

    good word. i’m in that same spot every now and again… I pray the same prayer. He always is faithful.

  • RKC

    When I am going through a difficult time or situation, that I can’t change, it always helps me to look at the blessings in my life. Things not associated with the problem. It helps to put things in perspective. I’m not sure we’re always meant to be content with every aspect of our lives. If you are always content there is no reason to change, move forward or grow. Maybe the trick is to focus on the positives in our lives while God works on the things we can not change.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Martin-Lewis/605944009 Martin Lewis

    You wrote: “I always want the bigger, better, newer, brighter, faster, cooler, etc. The default of my heart is to be discontent with whatever I have.”

    Yeah, I’ve noticed this too. The only answer that I’ve come up with for this discontent is that 1) we have a nature bent toward it and 2) it’s been drummed into us by the world and the systems of the world from the time we exited the womb. It’s anti-Christ. It’s deliberate. We’re constantly be sold “happiness”.

    Check out the first couple of minutes of this video: