NOTE: This post was written by my daughter, Kathryn. A sophomore in college, Kathryn is an example of a young woman who is eagerly pursuing Christ, honestly wrestling with the process, and deeply impacting others for Jesus. Kathryn, God has been re-creating in you a heart of grace, beauty, and contentment. I love you!
We all face it.
Whether walking around campus, wandering on Facebook, or
being around friends, our hearts are discontent. We long for attention,
affirmation, and admiration. You know what I mean – that one relationship that will solve all problems, and meet every
dream.
But here’s our problem - even when we get "it", it's never enough. The attention is
never enough. The flirting doesn't satisfy. The looks don't quench the longing. Nothing is ever enough. Admit it - we all have
discontented hearts.
Should we just accept our condition, or can God actually change us? Are there ways to change? Can the gospel of Jesus transform us?
Here are 3 steps to transforming hearts of discontent:
1) Focus on the
ultimate beauty
If you are like me, I often replace the idol of a relationship
with another idol. I tell myself that instead of focusing on my singleness, I
am going to focus on grades or friendships. And I convince myself that life
will be better - my grades will be amazing! My friends will love me!
Sadly, though, substituting one idol for another never
works. In fact, the Bible has a word for it - sin!
What you and I need is not another idol on which to pin our
hopes, but a God who can satisfy our longings. We need Jesus. Relationships,
grades, even friends—all will fail. Jesus will never fail.
“Gaze on the beauty of the Lord.
Seek him in his temple.
In the day of trouble, he will keep me safe. He will hide me in the
shelter of his sacred tent and set me high on upon a rock.”
Psalm 37:5
It is only when we see ultimate beauty that we realize how
worthless everything else is in comparison. It takes seeing the original
painting to realize all of the others are just cheap imitations.
2) Trust in the
ultimate strategist
“No good thing does
He (the Lord) withhold.”
Psalm 84:11
The Lord’s timing, in the moment, never quite seems … on
time. Here’s the question you need to face - Do you trust the Lord? Or do
you want things your way?
When you feel discontented, it is tempting to feel like God
is withholding good things. You know the feeling - as look through Facebook,
every person is in a relationship, and every couple looks happy. It’s easy to
think - did God forget me? Romans 8:32 reminds us of a refreshing truth…
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also graciously give us all things.”
Romans 8. 32
God bankrupted heaven for you and me. Why would he be stingy
now?
3) Rejoice in the
ultimate freedom
If you’re anything like me, it is tempting to focus on what I
don’t have rather than what I do have. Sadly, in my discontentment, I often look
at things from the wrong angle. The key is not to focus on the “prison” of
singleness, but on the freedom & opportunity of where God has me.
The apostle Paul has some insightful things to say about
this…
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then,
and
do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use
your freedom to indulge in flesh; rather serve one another humbly in love.”
Galatians 5:13
Galatians 5:13
Think about these things…
* How can you use the freedom that your season of singleness
gives you?
* How can you use the time you have now to be an influence for
the gospel?
* Where is the Lord calling you to invest right now?
God calls stubborn sinners with discontented hearts to
impact the world. It is a great fight, but one well worth it.
There is no easy fix for a discontented heart. It requires
constant repentance and falling at the foot of the cross. But, it doesn’t mean
that we are moved to inaction. God uses sinners! Use your time of singleness!
And rejoice! This time of your life is a good gift from a great God.
