By nature I tend to be a content individual.

I would be described as a glass “half full” type.

I am thankful and grateful for what I have.

I’ve been blessed with a great family, friends, and church.

I love what I do for a living.

There’s no sense in disguising it, I am blessed.

I am content.

I feel like my contentment is justified when I read the Bible too:

“Godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” (1 Timothy 6.6, NLT)

See that? I’m wealthy.

But just when I settle in and begin to put my feet up I start to have this gnawing feeling that too much contentment is dangerous.

I don’t want to stop advancing because I’m too content to sense the need.

Look at this scripture in which Jesus illustrates what God’s mindset is like:

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? (Luke 15. 4, NLT)

This scripture is a little startling when you start to think about it.

The man in the story has every reason to be content.

He has 99% of his sheep.

He’s ONLY lost one.

Yet he’s willing to risk it all in search of the one sheep that’s wandered off.

It’s inspirational if not a head-scratcher.

If our youth ministry was reaching 99% of the students in our area I’m pretty sure I’d feel content.

Correction, I know I would.

So which one should I be feeling?

Content or dissatisfied?

Is it wrong to be pleased with where I’m at in life?

Should I always be wanting more and more?

The answer as usual is probably somewhere in between.

I am blessed therefore I am pleased and content.

And I live with the belief that God has another adventure in store for me every single day.

There’s more to do, more people to bless, more people to reach with the good news of grace.

I guess you could say I’m choosing to live my life, “Contently Discontent.”