The Key to Contentment... Well... Keys.

I'm not sure how I've done it, but I truly have found the key to being happy in life... I mean truly happy in life. Well, I guess I narrowed it down to a few key points that I think can completely change your life if you are honest with yourself. Many go their whole lives without ever truly being content. We chase all of these things to make us content, but we never quite get there. If we just get those grades, then man, we will get into that school. If we get that GPA in that certain major then I can land that perfect job. Then when I have that job I can buy myself all kind of stuff, and I can provide for my family. Then they will love me more, and I can be happy with them and all of my stuff. You know what. I say we cut out all of the middle men and just strive for contentment going strait to the source... God. That doesn't come easy, but I think there is a way to get there.

The first thing we need to do is to really get to know ourselves. This is a vital thing that many forget before they walk into ministry, or even before they start to walk with the Lord period. It's really next to impossible to figure out how God is going to play into your life and heart if you're not even sure who you are to begin with. It sets the building blocks of confidence. You can't be confident in God if you don't know at the core of your being who you are. Find out what your passions are. Get to a point where you don't feel you have to succumb to pressures of other people. Be comfortable in your own shoes, and be proud of that.

The next thing you need to do is Chase God. What I mean by that is you should try to seek God's face as much as possible. Try to learn who Jesus Christ really is. Seek as much knowledge as possible. You will never figure God out, because he is outside of the reality that we look from. But the more and more you learn, the better you will be able to configure what you really do believe. In turn this will help you learn more about yourself as part of the first part. One of the best ways to do this is to stick with many people with more wisdom than you. Those who are in leadership in your church or those who have been walking with the Lord for many years always have something useful to give to you. Another way to seek knowledge is of course my reading scripture. You really need to be pursuing the word, and being okay if it doesn't speak to you at that very time. It will eventually if you allow it. I promise.

The last thing, and of course the most difficult thing that will get us to true contentment, is true submission. I need to be honest, this kind of submission isn't easy, but it is what we need to strive for. This is the submission that means humbling down and sacrificing our wants for the joy of others. This submission means not always getting your way. This submission means doing what you feel God wants you to, even if it well... sucks. That is where the catch is. Complete submission will be the most difficult yet most gratifying thing you can possibly do with your relationship with God. If you do those first two steps, then finally hand your heart to God to take care of, He will guard it and make it grow. You will find joy in things you never thought you would find joy in. You will be a Christian like Jesus Christ intended you to be. The hard part is complete submission has a lot of aspects to it. You have your spiritual disciplines of prayer, scripture, meditation and many others. Also have to submit to who God thinks should or should NOT be in your life. You may also have to submit to where he wants you to go, and what he wants you to do. This may not always line up with your plans or hopes, but if you truly are following Him, it will be right where you are supposed to be.

Obviously there is a whole lot more to this whole system. This is only the icing on the cake, but if I were asked right now, "Adam, I want to be happy, I want to be content with life... what should I do..." Well then, now you know my answer.