Did you see that? They contemplated joining as a team to win the race, the one guy in the elevator wasn't in a hurry to win the race, but then when the group got passed up by someone suddenly all bets were off and it was on like donkey kong again! That's how life is, it's as if we've all been entered in this battle to win at life, much like those in Rat Race were entered to win the race. Somehow we've deluded ourselves into thinking that whoever has the most, the best, the most expensive or the newest is "winning" this game we call life, while those of us trying to be content feel left out like losers. This is a subject I've been thinking and praying a lot about the last few years, as it seems that more and more this life has become a struggle to win.
I often find myself getting into that game of besting another, whether it's cleaning my house, or the deranged delusion that whoever gets the LEAST sleep is actually the best... I wish I could figure that one out. Because truthfully getting less sleep is scientifically proven to make you the least productive, yet in today's day and age not sleeping is worn like a badge of honor. and those who do sleep in on occasion are labeled lazy, when in reality they are likely to be getting more done during waking hours because they are rested. I wish someone would explain that to me, because I will be honest.... I LOVE SLEEP!!!!! And I don't see myself as a lazy person, my family may disagree but I feel that I work hard day in and day out. And I have to confess, I love going to bed at night and sleeping, I love getting a rare nap to recharge my batteries. So I guess I am a loser in some eyes now, but oh well. I'm rested.... Some of the time anyway... haha! ;-)
Some days I sit down and wonder how we got so twisted up in the game of "winning", is it some desire we all have to be liked or wanted? Is it a human desire to feel complete or whole? I can't say as I will ever fully understand or have an answer but I have an opinion. And that is this:
We are all equal in the sight of God.
Yup, that right there is kinda humbling isn't it? You see God looks at us and sees sinners. Yes we are His creation and He loves us, but that doesn't change the fact that deep down we are all the same and what we have in common is we are sinners. I don't think God loves you more than someone else because you have a bigger house, or a nicer car, or more money in your bank account. Rather I think He cares what we do with those things. Are we using them for His glory and honor or to look better amongst our peers? One of my favorite chapters of the bible as you will come to learn is Romans, and just like my last post I'm using another of my favorite passages from Romans here.
Romans 3:23-24 New Living Translation (NLT) " For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet
God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this
through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."
Did you see that? We ALL fall short, every single one of us. I know I do every day, when my temper gets the better of me, or when an ungracious thought or unkind word leaves my mouth. I'm not perfect, no where near it and I never will be. But because of God's great love for us I get to have His love, and grace and mercies in my life and with that I can try harder to be more like Him and less like me.
Did you see that? We ALL fall short, every single one of us. I know I do every day, when my temper gets the better of me, or when an ungracious thought or unkind word leaves my mouth. I'm not perfect, no where near it and I never will be. But because of God's great love for us I get to have His love, and grace and mercies in my life and with that I can try harder to be more like Him and less like me.
My goal in life is to be content with not only who I am, but my situation in life. It's not easy, and there are often times when I have felt very justified in my feeling of discontent. When God saw fit to let us get pregnant and then suddenly lose the baby, I didn't understand it. I was mad, hurt and extremely discontent with where my life was. When one of my littles has a meltdown in the middle of the grocery store, I feel very discontent with my life and job as a Mom. I wonder, why me? Why do I have the kid screaming in the middle of Walmart? I told myself I'd never be that Mom.... HA! God really likes to humble us doesn't He? But you see He still loves me, He still loves my child because He created us this way. To be sinners so that we would need His saving grace and love. He's not surprised when my kids throw a fit or I get mad, He's not shocked when they say something I'd rather they kept to themselves, He loves us no matter what we do, or what we have.
So my urging to you is this (and to myself because let's be honest I'm just as bad at this as every one else), let's try to find contentment in this life. To stop playing the game, because we are all equal losers in it, and to focus on becoming more like Christ. I believe with all my heart that if we show this example to our kids, that they can become adults who strive to find the contentment in their lives.
Love and prayers,
Kim
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