Not Exactly What I Expected

At Christmas my sons opened their “big gift”: a 996-piece King’s castle Lego set, which my husband and I just knew they’d do flips over.

After the gift was stripped of it’s red and green covering, and contents exposed, it became obvious that our middle child was far less excited about his gift than we had anticipated.
Come to find out he had his heart set on a different set.

“Awww man”, my usually thankful 5-year-old exclaimed, “I wanted Lego Chima.”

My husband and I, though a bit put off by his response, patiently reminded him that though it was not exactly what he expected, the Lego set was equally awesome.

He came around.

And after he stopped thinking about what he did not receive, he was able to realize the awesomeness that was his.
 
 
I think we all do the same with God. At least I do.

There is an epidemic of perceived scarcity in this country that makes us believe that what we have is not enough.

So we buy more. And we buy bigger. And we buy better.

We spend money we don’t have to impress people who don’t care and pray that God will “bless us” when He clearly already has.
 
We dream…
Of the bigger house.
That better car.
A promotion that will take us to that standard of living we think we need and/or deserve.

Begging and pleading for “the blessing” to come…but what if it already has?

Maybe we are already living in it.

Maybe it simply looks differently than we imagined.
 
So what if our loft isn’t the spacious 4-bedroom house? It’s a roof over our head; a place of warmth, comfort and love.

So what if there isn’t any “fluff” at the end of our budget each month? The bills are paid; all our needs, met.

So what if my thrift-store closet doesn’t look like my Pinterest board? The fact of the matter is that I have more clothes than the majority of people the world.


Are these provisions any less miraculous? Should I be any less thankful?
 

Do I put off God with my complaints? Probably so. But, even still, He’s there- my patient Father, gently reminding me of the gifts I already possess.

I’m beginning to stop praying for “the blessing” and realize that I am already blessed; I’m practicing the phrase, “I have enough.”

I fight discontentment with thankfulness and find peace in reminding myself that Christ is enough for my every need.

And as my heart shifts from wishful to thankful, like my son, I am able to see the awesomeness that is already mine.
 

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8