Why is it so hard to be content? Could be because it's so easy to take the things in life that worry us and carry them around all the time. But, when we do that, the burdens they create diverts our attention away from the good things that come our way that could make us happy and less stressed.
For instance, I'm a big pray-er... BUT, unfortunately, a lot of times, once I'm done asking God to "fix" something, I'll pick it right back up and worry about it for days... I wonder: "Did God understand HOW I wanted Him to fix it?" "Did He understand that I wanted it fixed before this weekend?" I think to myself: "He knows how important this is to me, right?"
When we pray like that, we are NOT turning anything over to God - no wonder we can't find contentment. There are no guarantees that our prayers are ever going to be answered the way we hope for... when we pray, we should always ask that GOD'S WILL be done... not ours! And then we need to be willing to accept the outcome without "excessive" worrying.
These things aren't easy... after all, we're human - but hopefully they'll help us find contentment.
"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."~Philippians 4:4-9 (The Message)
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