What does it mean to be content? Is it a matter of settling for less than? Less than your dreams, less than your goals, less than that peak in the distance you always hoped you’d climb even if so many people along the way said you never would? Is being content what finally happens once you’ve reached that peak? Or the next one?

Content isn’t a very appealing word in our world. We don’t dream of being adequate or acceptable, we dream of being great! We dream of being better! We want to be better than the person they said we are. Better than the person THEY are.

The truth about contentment you may not know, is contentment can happen anywhere you are. The apostle Paul knew a lot about contentment. In Philippians 4:12-13 he said “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Being content doesn’t mean settling. It is not a matter of giving up. It means knowing that even when we seek more in our lives, we can still find beauty in the places we are along the way. Content means knowing even as we seek more, we cannot lose sight of the gifts and grace we have today. Because more promises peace but tears you to pieces.