Be Content in the Present, not Complacent

Sometimes, it’s hard to just sit back and be content and satisfied in the present.  We’re constantly looking for the next best opportunity or seeking to improve our current circumstances.  But failing to recognize the amazing things that are right in front of us, can cause us to be in such a hurry for change that we take things for granted.

Think about what it was like being a child.  When we’re young, we really want to grow up.  We want to be independent; we want to go to work like our parents; we want to focus on getting good grades so that we can get that dream job that we’ll have as an adult.  Our entire lives as young people are completely consumed with planning for the future and laying down a stable foundation so that we can ultimately be successful as adults.

Looking back, it’s easy to see where being a kid was better than we realized at the time.  Many of us had parents to cook our meals, wash our clothes, tell us exactly what to do and when to do it, and who made sure that we had all of the essential things that we needed without ever having to ask for them.  We didn’t have a care in the world.  The only things we were responsible for were going to school, playing with our friends, and keeping our rooms cleaned.  We were living the dream.  But at that time, all we could see was that we had too much homework, our parents and teachers were bossy and always telling us what to do, and we didn’t have any freedom to do what we wanted.  At the time, we didn’t recognize all of the great things that we did have and how lucky we were to not have as much responsibility as we wanted.

As adults, we still do the same thing.  We focus so much on what we wish was different, that we forget about what’s going right in our lives.  Even though we’re much older and wiser, we’re still reaching for things that we can obtain in the future instead of being satisfied by what we have in the present.  

We should aim toward being content in the present, not complacent.  Let’s continue to strive for greatness, but let's not get so caught up in reaching the finish line that we forget to enjoy and be grateful for the race. Because happiness is not a destination, it’s a journey; and how we learn and grow during that journey is what makes us ready for our future blessings.