“What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
I can be Content, without being Complacent.
Have you ever accepted the circumstances of a situation with a full intention to keep working for something new, something different, something better? Think about the last time you were passed over for a promotion, or your dream apartment wasn’t available for rent. Often when we find ourselves in situations like these, we can’t just walk away or throw a fit, so we deal and accept the present circumstances. But being content doesn’t mean being complacent. You can find pleasure in a job or a home and still know that when the opportunity presents itself, you’ll move on to something better.
Satisfied is what I like to think of as a middle emotion. It’s one of those we can sit in for a long period of time without thinking something is wrong or going to throw it off kilter. It’s the place we find ourselves most often in life when we come to a place of acceptance for our status and resources. And some people get stuck here. They decide that well enough is all they’ll ever achieve and don’t do anything to move past it or worse, rock the boat and mess everything up.
I want to encourage you to reject complacency. Reject the notion that there’s nothing better for you out there and that you have to settle for less than satisfactory all because of the circumstances. That is not your lot in life! The bible tells us: “What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 9-13) Here we are reminded that we don’t know the fullness of God’s plan for us. We don’t know when the yes is coming even when we’ve heard so many no’s. The key is continuing.
Never give up, never surrender.
One of my favorite movies growing up was Galaxy Quest (if you can’t tell, I’m a bit of a nerd lol) The mantra cry from that movie was “never give up, never surrender.” It was their call to action whenever things seemed bleak. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to wait for things to look horrible before you start wanting and demanding more for yourself. Wake up every morning challenging yourself to challenge the status quo to be for sure seen! Challenge yourself to stop accepting things purely out of convenience and ask for more. Challenge yourself to never be satisfied with just enough.
Some people end up seeking therapy because they’ve become complacent and called it contentment. Don’t let that be you. But if it is you, therapy can help! You can find a professional listening ear, a sound voice of reason, and an unbiased perspective to your situation in the therapy room. Allow them to help you erase complacency in your life and challenge you to seek a higher form of contentment. I love you, and I’m always rooting for you! Keep conquering daily!
EMBRACING EMOTION: THE BLOG 