My job is too stressful. My car is so old.
My shoes are all thrifted. My house smells like mold.
My family annoys me. I don't have any friends.
Probably because I can't buy the latest trends.
My nose is too big. My mouth is too small.
My face is too round. I don't look good at all!
Why can't I go there? All the kids do!
Why can't I try that? I'd just have a few...
I know there are people, Who have more than I!
It just isn't fair! I can't stand my life!
If this sounds familiar, I beg you to pause,
And count all your blessings, before they are gone.
Because one day you'll realize After young years are spent,
That you wasted a lifetime, Trapped in discontentment.
~Sara Abigail Thren
I want to begin this post with a bit of a warning: this is a very candid and honest article about my own struggle with discontentment and what it took for me to deal with that. Please do not read this article unless you a seriously dedicated to dealing with discontentment, should it arise.
I was having serious problems.
I was constantly moody, grumpy with my family, and didn't really feel like talking to any of my good, godly friends. My Bible reading and prayer time was way down on my priority list. I was never hungry, had no motivation or energy, and was spending way too much time on my phone, doing nothing productive. Even my weight was out of control.
I knew something was wrong, but what? I wasn't sick and hadn't had any recent tragic experiences. I wasn't being bullied or left out. I certainly wasn't getting any less love from God, my family, or my friends.
I was just miserable, with nothing and no one to blame.
One day, my parents and I had a good talk about it all. I thank the Lord for my godly parents. They were kind, gentle, and treated me with respect, but they told me the truth.
My problem was discontentment.
At first, I denied it fiercely.
"I have a good life! Good friends and family. We have a great ministry and I enjoy traveling most of the time. Why would I be discontent?!"
But the more I about it, the more I saw that they were right.
I was discontent. I complained often, even if it was only in my heart. Looking closely, I could even see the weeds of covetousness, envy, and bitterness that sprout from the seeds of discontentment. Worse, to cover up my problems, hypocrisy was taking root in my heart as well.
It scared me. I did not like the person I was becoming.
But how could I fix it? Had I gone too far?
With the help of my parents and God's Word, I found several valuable and practical truths regarding dealing with discontentment and I would love to share those with you in this post.
How to Deal with Discontentment
1.) Ask the Lord for His help.
Sounds too easy, right? It is so true though; without the Lord's help, we can do nothing! Especially deal with discontentment. Praying to ask for His help pleases the Lord, just like it pleases our parents when we ask for their help.
Saying a short, sincere prayer each morning before starting your day is a great habit to get into. There are no magic words, but an honest and humble heart will immediately be noticed by the Father. The Bible says He rewards those who diligently seek Him. If you diligently seek Him for His help, He will reward you with that.
Jeremiah 29:12 KJV
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
2.) Read your Bible, whether you feel like it or not.
Looking back, my daily Bible reading was the first thing to go. It should have caught my attention, like a flashing, neon billboard along the highway, but it did not. Even though I've been taught from the time I could read that I should read my Bible every day, I had allowed other "pressing" things to shove that right out of my daily routine. I always assured myself that I would get to it before bed, after things slowed down, when the kids were asleep, when I wasn't so tired. But that time came rarely, if ever, until I didn't even think about reading my Bible.
Reading my Bible when I don't feel like it is hard, but in the end, it is always worth it. God promises that His Word will not return void, and I have found this to be true again and again. I got into the habit of saying a prayer to ask the Lord to speak to me through His Word before I read. It didn't get better right away, but as I read His Word, it began to penetrate the wall of discontentment that encased my heart. Soon, I was excited to read my Bible and I read as much as I could in the time I had available. Now is this to say that I always feel this way? Not at all. Sometimes the flesh is very weak and reading the Bible seems like a chore to complete, but I have found that once I start, the power of the Word of God changes my spirit. It is a wonderful thing!
Psalm 119:16-18
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out of thy law.
3.) Practice Thankfulness
When my Mom suggested this, I'll admit that my reaction was a very mystified and rather uneloquent "Huh?" I had never heard the phrase "practicing thankfulness". The idea I got from the phrase was someone standing alone in a room saying thank you over and over again. haha What my Mom meant was just simply realizing how many things in my life I had to be thankful for.
How easy it is to focus on what we don't have, what we can't do, where we can't go, who we can't spend time with, what we don't look like...
It seems almost like an involuntary action to complain about such things. And actually, it is. The flesh, who controlled our bodies before salvation, is naturally given to complaining and unthankfulness. If we do not take care, the flesh will easily take control of our thoughts and our tongues, and before we know it, we are wallowing in discontentment without even knowing how we got there.
I Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Practical Tip:
I have just started keeping a Gratitude Journal. My mom gave me a beautiful notebook for Christmas to journal in and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I am currently going through several passages in the Bible that deal with contentment and thankfulness, so each day I write out the verses and then one thing I am thankful for that day. Sometimes it's a long and flowery paragraph, and sometimes it is literally just the phrase "Today I am thankful for________, because..." The whole entry need only take a few minutes and the benefits from such an exercise are so great! I hope you'll consider trying it; I am confident that you can do it, and that you'll enjoy it and the benefits!
4.) Have an Accountability Partner
Have a friend or family member be your accountability partner. Someone who will be honest, sincere, and candid with you. Someone who will not be afraid to gently point out faults and areas to improve in your life, and work with you to find a solution.
My Mom is my accountability partner and it has been the best thing for our relationship. I really encourage you girls and young ladies to talk to your mother about this idea. Or maybe you could ask your grandmother, or an aunt. If not a relative, I'd recommend a godly, Christian lady older than yourself. Maybe your pastor's wife, Sunday school teacher, or youth pastor's wife. Just be sure it is someone who will faithfully offer godly advice, backed with Scripture!
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I hope you found this article helpful. If so, please feel free to let me know, either by dropping a comment here or sending me an email at
Thank you for reading and may God bless each of you!
Until next time,
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