Want to be Content and Satisfied? Stop Chasing “the Best”
Do you want to be content? Satisfied? Are you tired of chasing promises only to be left wanting?
Everywhere you turn you hear:
You deserve the best . . . you’re worth it!
You deserve happiness and having the best will make you happy!
Never settle for less than you deserve. Demand the best, accept nothing less!
Really what is “best” anyway? Who decides?
Advertisers?
Parents?
Teachers?
Friends?
Researchers?
Want to know a simple truth”
[Tweet “This week’s “best” will be replaced with next week’s new and improved.”]
But we’re tempted by that word “best” aren’t we?
We wander aisles and websites searching for new and better. We crave labels. We run after status. And next week we’ll shake off last week’s contentment and charge on.
Aren’t you tired? Don’t you want simple contentment?
The answer:
Stop tying your self-worth to your stuff. Give up your pride!
Pride is:
-
a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people
-
a feeling that you are more important or better than other people
-
a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc.
What do you think?
Based on those definitions pride isn’t generically bad.
You should respect yourself and expect others to treat you respectfully. (You should respect them, too.) And you should be happy when you do something well.
But…
You should not feel you are more important or better than other people.
The Bible says:
Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2 (NLT)
Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from Him. 1 John 2:15:16 (MSG)
And C.S. Lewis said:
“As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man… It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.”
Wow, that’s counter-cultural isn’t it? Wealth. Fame. Popularity. Prestige. That’s where it’s at.
But have you ever stopped and really listened to people who “have it all?” Often they seem to have everything but contentment and satisfaction.
Are you ready for better than “best?” Try humility.
Humility is:
- the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people
I like that definition. It’s simple. It makes relationships more important than stuff.
Humility chooses its contentment and satisfaction in God. Humility knows and uses His the gifts, talents, and abilities He gives for His glory. Humility wants to do well, to do its best, but always and only for God’s glory.
The Bible says:
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4
That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. Galatians 5:26
C.S. Lewis said:
If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud.
Your real, new self (which is Christ’s and also yours, and yours just because it is His) will not come as long as you are looking for it. It will come when you are looking for Him.
Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him and with Him everything else thrown in.
Choose God’s Best and Find Contentment and Satisfaction
- Choose to praise God for who He is.
- Choose to avoid the comparison trap.
- Choose to stop chasing promises and want what you have.
- Choose to do your best and use what you have for God’s glory.
- Choose to make your relationships a priority.
- Choose to count your blessings.
- Choose to trust God’s plans and purposes.
- Choose to celebrate today.
- Choose to talk with God about every need.
- Choose to bless others with what you have.
Choose contentment and satisfaction!
Be you! Do your best. Be humble. Find contentment in your relationship to God through Jesus and enjoy His blessings.
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Psalm 90:14
“God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.” ~St. Augustine
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This is a very good article Deb. What is the best? It is what God desires for us. Chasing after God’s own heart today.
Blessings,
Patti
“Best” is illusive isn’t it, Deb? Doesn’t truly exist, just taunts us with its illusion of abundance. (When in fact, it’s empty.) Oh, that we’d have eyes to see behind the smoke. Thanks for sharing this encouragement today, Deb. ((Hug)) xoxo
Hi, Deb!
First off, I owe you an apology, my friend. I rely too much on checking the comment option offered on my blog instead of going back to scrutinize each recent blog. I just happened to do that yesterday, and found so many awesome comments from you, which I have answered. Yes, I’m humbled by my mistake and glad I could correct ii. I will do a better job of checking comments from here on out!
Thanks for another marvelous post today. Blessings!
What a great post, Deb!
Those 10 choices at the end need to be posted on my frig! I might need a printable of these!
Sharing all around today.
Hope you have a great weekend~
Blessings,
Melanie
Oh, Deb … God is working on this very thing in my life. So often — no… ALL. THE. TIME. …I find myself out running errands, but can’t find the “Just right thing.” I can spend inordinate amounts of time chasing down that just right thing. (In fact, I think I have a blog post started from a while back on this) … and I’m stressed the whole time. Even upon finding it, I’m exhausted and can’t really enjoy it.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for these words. I needed to read them more than I’d care to admit.
Blessings!
Deb, I just don’t know how you do it! I admire you so very much for your wealth of knowledge, depth of heart, and desire to see others set free!
A line that caught my heart was “And next week we’ll shake off last week’s contentment and charge on.” I have never struggled in the sense of material things, but I struggle in affirmation. I can have something wonderful happen in the blogging world one day and the next day, I see someone else’s better and forget about all that made me happy the day before! Ugh! I am thankful to be in a place in life where I know I am so much better than I ever was, but I’m still not where I need to be! When I recognize my stinky thought process, I know to lay it at God’s feet.
Hugs!
Deb, thanks so much for so many great reminders of the true nature of pride. I love the C.S. Lewis quotes, too. Stuart Scott wrote a wonderful little book called “From Pride to Humility.” In it he says pride isn’t something you have and I don’t, but something we all have. It’s a matter of how much and how it shows up. I believe it’s something we have to be mindful of always. Thanks for hosting. Have a great week-end.
Deb, beautiful words. I find that when I catch myself being prideful, I try to stop and say a quick prayer for humility. It is so hard not to focus on myself when I take my eyes of my Lord. Thanks for sharing at Let’s Get Real Friday Party.
I think it’s important to chase what’s best for you and not to let go your dreams.
This is a good word, Deb. Thanks for reminding us that we have much to tbe thankful for. Contentment is an intentional choice.