Dealing With DiscontentmentMfano

One thing I’ve realized about discontentment is that we often don’t know what we are asking for. Much of our dissatisfaction comes from the belief that life would be better if we had certain things that we have esteemed to be better than our present reality. Because we have fixated our eyes on something other than Jesus, this posture leads us to sometimes settle for something that may not be the will of God for our lives. We must realize that, as the old saying goes, “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”

Israel fell subject to discontentment, leading them to settle for something outside of the will of God in 1 Samuel 8 when Israel demanded a king. The Lord never designed for Israel to have a king, but seeing the other nations who had kings, they desired what they thought would suit them. Despite warnings from the Lord, Israel was fixated on having a king, and God granted their request, leading to the kingship of Saul, who had the aesthetics of a king. Eventually, Saul would be rejected as king in favor of David, whom God described as a man after God’s own heart. A question to ponder is, “What king have I crowned in my life higher than the King of kings?”

When we feel discontent about how life is or begin to compare what we have to others, we must refocus on what God desires for our lives. This re-centering on God’s desire for our lives requires us to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Trusting Jesus as Lord helps us understand that He knows what is best for us and will not withhold anything good from those who walk upright (Psalm 84:11). When we can acknowledge this truth and put Christ in His rightful place in our lives, our discontentment ceases to exist. This is not to suggest that you will not have moments of discontent or dissatisfaction, but instead to encourage you to redirect your eyes to the author and finisher of our faith and trust that what He has for you is better than what you desire.

Prayer: Lord, help me focus on what You desire for my life, not what I have esteemed to be better. I trust that what You have for me is better than what I think I want. I choose today to trust Your plan for my life and battle discontentment by centering my attention back to You, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.