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THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER
What is it about that grass on the other side of the fence that makes it so much greener? Really, no matter what we have, we are always convinced it isn’t good enough, new enough, exciting enough, …and we look over that fence and it always looks better than what we have.
I have this thing for the Audi A6 automobile. Whenever I see one my covet button goes off and I am convinced deep down in my heart that my life would be so much better if I had one. Actually, I did have one once…my brother had a ‘96 wagon that he no longer needed and so he graciously gave it to us. It was 11 or 12 years old, 190,000 miles on it and the sunroof didn’t work but it was still the nicest car I ever owned (might say something about our other cars). Only problem was that the transmission went out on it and by any chance do you know what a rebuilt transmission costs for an Audi A6? So now when I see an A6 and find myself thinking that I would be happier than I have ever been if I had that car, I can quickly think how much it costs to maintain one of those suckers and that usually helps…oh yeah and then there is the part of being able to purchase one in the first place.
Photo by Mattia Righetti on Unsplash
But it doesn’t stop with the car; there are all kinds of things that I am convinced would make my life better and the marketing experts have figured out how to take advantage of our discontentment. Have you ever-noticed how marketers today are so savvy in the way they convince us that our life, the way it is, sucks. We watch a commercial and see how joyful and complete the actor/actress is because they have a new whatever, and we more often than not find ourselves loathing our position in life. And once they have you convinced that your life sucks the way it is, they convince us that our lives would be so much better with a new whatever…usually with the help of a pretty girl in a bikini.
I have spent my fair share of time being discontent; wishing I could have something I don’t have. I also look around me today and I see so many who are discontent. They hope, dream, strive and long for the next thing that will make them happy. And you know what? It hardly ever does, at least for very long.
Why am I seldom content? Why as soon as I purchase one thing that I have been longing for, do I start searching the Internet for the next thing? I sometimes wonder if it is even possible to live a life of contentment today?
I was reading Philippians 4 the other day, and this is what Paul said about being content…
“For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Photo by Hunter Bryant on Unsplash
Wow, what would it be like to be able to say that we are content with whatever we have? I think we tend to say, but that was Paul, of course he was content. No, Paul wasn’t any different than you and me, but he did understand something that we forget sometimes. It is Christ who gives us the strength to be content. Because Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING we need.
-Pete
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