Confronted by God

Have you ever ordered a Non-fat half-caff triple grande quarter sweet sugar free vanilla non-fat lactaid extra hot extra foamy caramel macchiato at Starbucks only to find out with great frustration that they forgot to make it extra foamy? What an incompetent barista! In a world of endless choices and infinite preferences we find ourselves discontent with luxury, and content with meaninglessness. What I mean is that we get too irate over being cut off from traffic, having to wait longer than 10 minutes in line at the store, an incorrect order, a mistaken official’s call, a store selling out of an item in a particular color, gas that has raised two cents, and parking spots more than two rows back, that these cause us to demand rectification immediately or for perpetrators to suffer dire consequences. If you are honest with yourself, or if I am honest with myself we get angry, down right angry over small mistakes and small inconveniences. We have become discontent with the excess in our lives. We are angry because these are the things that are supposed to bring us happiness, they are the very products that promise us fulfillment and acceptance, and we find them lacking.

Perhaps the reason for this is simply because we are selfish spoiled westerners with a chip on our shoulder. Or it could be that we have pursued meaning and truth in all the wrong places. Perhaps we need to be looking less at what is seasonable and more at what is eternal. Perhaps we need to worry less about what our color wheel is, and look more at what our ultimate purpose is. Maybe we need to agonize less about what is the latest invention, and focus more on what is the ever-lasting truth. Maybe this rambling is a bunch of malarkey, but I don’t think it is. If we find ourselves discontent with the way our life narrative has turned out, then it is time we become discontent with the truth that the world has been selling us. It is time that we turn to a truth that delivers on its promise, that offers real contentment, life, love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. It is time that we as a people find a truth that we do not simply apply to our skin, but a truth that penetrates much deeper and applies to our souls.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want – Philippians 4:12

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you - Hebrews 13:5