My daughter and I were discussing the state of our kitchen last night and we agreed that it would be nice to have a matching set of good quality pots and pans. To be perfectly honest, we have parts of a couple of pretty good sets of cookware—adequate, but not the best.

I started thinking about that this morning and the niggling little voices that whisper dissatisfaction to my soul.  We have everything we need, but we don’t have the best of things.  We have a good life, but there are more things I want to do and places I would like to go.

In my musing, I thought about the apostle Paul and his comment, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

I have an understanding of contentment, but being a stickler for nuances, I looked the word “content” in the dictionary:  “happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different; satisfied.”

Sadly, our society breeds discontent, both with what one has and with who one is.  Lasting satisfaction seems to be a commodity stored on the top shelf, in the farthest corner and just out of reach.  “Happy enough” isn’t quite good enough—we would be happier with the ability to have more, buy more, and be more.

I have begun to limit the advertisements that I look at—at one time I looked at ads to find things I need, that I hoped were on sale; however, it evolved into finding things on sale that I either (suddenly) realized I needed or wanted.

I love technology:  computers, smartphone, iPad, and nook, to name a few—all the latest greatest—but my desires far exceed my need! …and kitchen stuff, I love to bake and sort of love to cook, and long for the latest and best kitchen innovations.  I have difficulty being satisfied with the clothes I wear and often see shoes that would be really nice to have, though I have plenty of shoes that I rarely wear.  I often think that I would be happier with my life if I was thinner; more disciplined, and exceptionally gifted—not content with who God created me to be.  Sadly, when our focus is discontentment with who we are—if all we can see is what we are not, then the opportunity to develop into who God has created us to be is stifled!

The Holy Spirit is a treasure that God has given us to enrich and empower our lives with the goodness and righteousness of our Father.  He also lets us know when we take missteps or harbor unrighteous attitudes—and discontent (along with greed and covetousness) is sin.  My human nature tries to diminish that reality by finding justification for my thoughts and behavior; but in reality, when I nurture dissatisfaction I am not trusting that God actually is providing for me and supplying all of my needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-33).

Our lives are best served by “‘fessing up” to wrong thinking and errant attitudes.  Old Testament history shows that legalism is no sin solution—besides an inability to consistently obey God’s laws, they couldn’t begin to touch the inner consequences of a sin nature.  It is no different now—trying to think better or be better will neither save us or change our hearts.  Instead, scripture promises that, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

It really is as simple as that:  confessing that there is a problem in our hearts, and trusting His forgiveness and His cleansing of those unrighteous attitudes.  It is easy to think sin is about things we do or don’t do without recognizing that sin is internal, and can only be dealt with on the spiritual level before God’s healing can be seen externally through our lives.  Sadly, many churches and Christians are so focused on outward adherence to laws and behavioral standards that the heart issues are neglected.

Another “fix” for a discontented heart is a thankful heart, a grateful attitude for all that God has provided and done for us through Jesus.  Every person alive has something to be thankful for, and today I encourage you to give thanks to God for who you are—for you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)—and what you have (1 Thessalonians 5:18).