Living: More or Less

I used to struggle a lot with discontentment. But I got over it. Or so I thought.

Back in the day, when I went to other people’s houses … I would get discontent with mine. You could just throw me in a big ole mansion-y type house loaded to the brim treasures and I would come home wanting more. More stuff. More space. Just more.

But I prayed and worked my way through it. And I thought for sure, it was done. No more issues with discontentment.

But of late, I have been discontent.

It all started because in the last month and a half, my home has had little bust-ups. Small issues. Like this weekend we had a seeping water heater. Leaked out onto my hardwood floors. A couple weeks ago, it was a little plumbing mishap. Not anything unusual. 

But all the problems created a feeling of discontentment with what I have. With what I’ve been given. It made me wish for less.

Less stuff. Less space. Just less.

I used to think that wishing for less was better. But as I was driving home from picking up coffee at McDonald’s – God pointed out in tender but clear terms that contentment is being satisfied with exactly what you possess. Not more. And not less.

I never thought of it that way.

Discontentment is wanting more. And discontentment is wanting less.

Whether that’s more or less house. More or less job. More or less responsibility. More or less anything.

So, I have been properly reminded.  And I am learning – once again – how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.