Greener Grass

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13

The grass is not greener on the other side…The grass is greener where you water it. 

When my kids were younger, I would often complain that I couldn’t spend more time with God as I looked to other moms who seemed to have it “all together” with their Bibles out reading, studying and praying for longer than I could. I would beat myself up about desiring to spend more time with God, but with four children under nine I could hardly stay awake to finish a chapter.  I would waste my time thinking the grass was greener on the other side.

Now that my kids are older (youngest is 14), I can spend more time with God, but then I find myself missing those sweet days nursing reading a chapter, and wanting to go back to those days as they seem “easier and sweeter”.

Discontentment is one of those things that you don’t realize you’re in.  And sometimes you’re in it knee or head deep.

Discontentment breeds jealousy and envy that others are doing what you want to be doing – even if it’s a good thing – like spending more time with God – or wanting to go back to the days when you did this or that.

I think Philippians 4:13 is one of those verses that we often take out of context. This verse is about contentment.  Merriam Webster defines contentment as “feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation”.  When we are not satisfied with what we have right now in this very moment, we are guilty of being discontent. In reality, we are saying to God, “I don’t want what you have given me in this moment. What you have given me right now is not enough. I want more. I want something different.  I want what she has.” Then when you get what she has you want to go back to the good ol’ days.

God is sovereign.  He knows what we need. He takes great care over us and has ordained every single day. There are seasons for everything as wise King Solomon taught us. When we are discontent about life situations, we are really discontent with God. This is a hard truth to swallow, but it is true.

May we take an honest heart assessment asking the Lord to reveal areas in our life that we are discontent and turn those areas into a heart of thankfulness – 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Father, forgive me for the times that I complain. At times I may not even be aware of it. Discontentment comes so naturally and it breads other sins – jealousy, envy, self-pity, anger and more.  Instead of looking back at “sweet days” wanting to relive them again now, I choose to thank you for that time you gave me back then. I can be content at all times and in every season because you give me strength. May I today be aware of the grass that you put before me so I can water it – stepping forward by faith in what you have now for me one moment at a time.
In Jesus, precious name amen.