Being content and thankful

There are seasons of our lives where all of a sudden everything is about one single topic, and it comes to you in different ways, you read about it in a devo, in a conversation with a friend, in a sermon, from a Facebook friend. Suddenly, you realize, that this isn't just a coincidence, but instead, the Lord is putting this topic in front of you.

This has been the case for me. The topic that keeps being put in front of me is this: 

"People are never thankful for what they have, instead, they just always want more" 

The topic started by the conversation with friends, talking trash about other people 

"Can you believe that she was complaining that she gets to do that?!? Does she not how good she has it, WHY did she have to say all those mean things, why couldn't she respond 'Thanks for thinking of me, I am so thankful that I get to go on a free trip'!?!?!" 

I started to see that I am the same way. I am given all these things, I have all these amazing things going on in my life, but I am stuck in this discontent trap. I don't feel thankful for what I have, because there are all these other things that I want, that I "need", that I am "entitled" to.This issue isn't the forefront of my mind, I don't think " I just got this great thing, I now wish I had this great thing" 24/7. But it comes in the small things, " wouldn't it be great if we had a new hook on the wall right there, then I could keep all our grocery bags off the floor" and it middle things "Wouldn't our kitchen look so much better if we had wood floors instead of this ugly laminate?" "Seriously, you are complaining because your husband is going to be gone for 2 days and you will have "no one" for the next 2 days,I am always single--I always have "no one"" and I even explode into BIG ways where your discontent creates the feelings of: 

• EVERYTHING is a personal attack
• worthlessness
• being passed over
• a need to run and flee 
• and even nothing at all

There's a balance, we should not live in a way where we don't change anything because then we are "discontent" we can change things, it's okay to do things to improve our life. But I need to remember that meeting my needs and doing things for me isn't the only reason for doing anything. There are bigger and better things to focus on. There are the things of God to do instead. 

It's hard. But I can grow, and I can change, I need to pray and see how to do this thing God is teaching me.