If you’ve ever been to my house you know it’s very small. There was a time many years ago when I hated living in my tiny house. I dreamed of one day having a bigger house. One of my favorite pastimes was sketching house plans for my dream home.

But, an interesting thing happened along the way. The more I focused on the house I wanted but didn’t have, the more resentful I became of my home.

Until… one day it hit me! I realized that it is all a matter of perspective. The thought occurred to me that if someone who lived in a third world country was brought here to live in my little house they would feel like royalty! Same house—different perspective!

My perspective changed that moment to one of gratitude for the home God had provided for me.

In our society, the constant message is “Don’t be content with what you have—you need more, bigger, better, faster. And, don’t accept yourself as you are.  Wear this, fix this, accomplish this and then you can feel good about who you are.”

Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having goals, seeking personal growth, and having a vision to advance to new levels. That is all good and desirable. But, as one former Olympian said (about achieving a medal) he came to realize that “If you’re not enough without it, you will never be enough with it.”

So, in the process of pursuing our goals, it is important for us to be content, and to appreciate what we have and who we are in the present.