If only I had THAT...

It's one thing we all--rich, poor; white, black (or otherwise); educated or not, deal with:

The desire for more.

The desire for a life that's better than my own.

Contentment seems elusive for many of us. We look at other people's lives--their relationships, their financial situation, their job, their house, car, tv, and other material possessions, and we think "If only I had what they have,then I could be content".

It's a trap that many fall into.

...and honestly, I think it's what's behind the Occupy Wall Street (and other cities) movement. If only I had part/half/all of what 'those people' have, I could be happy.

But, whether it's the rich dudes on Wall Street, or the family in the nicest house of your neighborhood, the truth is this:

It's NOT about Them!
It IS about you!

What you do with your life--how you look at it, the messages you give yourself every day, the things you focus on and the goals you set for yourself--that's on YOU!

(Should we, as a country, make the opportunities for upward mobility available for all? YES! Should we take others down in order to lift some up? I don't think so!)

Here's the thing: God writes each of the 'stories' of our lives in ways which are unique to US! I will go through things in my life that you'll never go through (in fact, I'm pretty sure I already have!), and you'll go through things that I will never experience. Sometimes the private wars and battles that your neighbors in that nice house are facing would make your trials seem insignificant...but the key is this:

God wants to engage you in your life--not in someone else's!

Will you open yourself up to engaging with the Lord in your current circumstances, or will you continue to buy the cultural lie that, if you can't have it as good as someone else, you can never possibly be content?

6 "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:6-10)


The Lord has blessed you--in many ways. Do you have food? Do you have clothing? Do you have shelter?

Do you have liberty and freedom? Do you have the ability to worship God freely, or to choose the kind of work you do, or to marry the person you want?

Chances are good that, if you and I had 'eyes to see', we'd be able to list HUNDREDS of everyday blessings that we experience.

...and yet, we fall into that trap: "If only I had that..."

Don't do it!
Don't let yourself go there!

Focus instead on the Lord, and on the place you're at right now (including your blessings), then focus on how YOU can move forward! Focus on how YOU can walk in step with the Lord's plans for you...and then--only then--will you find contentment!

Blessings on you,

Dave