How to Grow Contentment That Makes You Forget Losses
This will be the second time in five years that we’ve had to cancel a highly anticipated and needed vacation. In 2018, two weeks before my family was to fly to Hawaii, we had to change our plans. That was hard. I think my kids cried. I probably did, too, if I’m being honest. After all, we’d never done a “real” family vacation before. It would’ve been our first.
Here we are again, six years later, facing the reality that as small business owners, we are still unable to go on trips like everyone else. Although I’ve come to accept this, it doesn’t get easier.
Gratitude Doesn’t Come Naturally
Everything in me wants to scream, “Why can’t we just be like normal families that get to go on vacations?” Yet, to do so would expose a part of my heart that I’m not so proud of.
Even though I’m thankful for how our business has provided for us, in my own ungrateful state, I often see it as a burden, too. The business always comes first. That’s the number one rule when the business is the reason we can afford to raise a family in Southern California in 2024.
I’m torn between being grateful for everything we have and throwing mini pity parties because of the unique challenges we face. If not for my husband following the call to start a business in 2007, I’m not sure where we would be.
Comparison Impairs Contentment
If I’m not careful, I can easily find myself in a place where all I do is wallow in self-pity. I only need to browse my social media apps to see all the summer fun that the business has kept my family from experiencing, and all the memories that we will never make. Instead of seeing all that we have, I only see what we don’t have.
Is this what I want to teach my children? That the only way to be happy is to go on extravagant trips? Honestly, it could be anything. For my family, it’s trips. For another family, it could be a new car, or the amount of gifts under the Christmas tree this year.
Yet, I know if I can’t be content with what I have, I’ll never be happy. l actually have a lot to be thankful for, and learning to be content in all situations is a state of being I long to achieve (Philippians 4:11-13).
Friend, we live in a fallen and broken world, and when we compare our lives to everyone else’s, it’s easy to overlook our blessings, and only see what’s missing. The enemy uses our lack of contentment to deceive us into believing that we’re doing something wrong.
Counting Blessings Fends Off the Enemy
When you find yourself in a situation where there’s more questions than answers, and more doubt than hope, the enemy tries to use his tactics to keep you there. He takes pleasure in knowing that God‘s children are unhappy, and he does his best to capitalize on our emotions.
Rather than sulking over having to cancel another family vacation, I have decided to be content with all the ways God has blessed my family—we have each other, our health and, at the risk of sounding like a cheesy sign, we have love and laughter.
Instead of seeing the business as a hindrance, I see it as a gift that God gave us to provide all of our family’s needs and more!
Getting to this point didn’t happen overnight. It started by taking time each day to count my blessings, rather than focusing on my losses. Instead of having a scarcity mindset, I choose to see God’s abundant blessings. I have a lot and that is more than enough.
When I focus on all that God has done, I can’t help but be filled with gratitude. I’m overwhelmed by the undeserved grace He extends to me, and can’t help but express my gratitude through praise and worship.
As we walk in the places that seem challenging and loom large, let us remember the greatness and intimacy of our God. He is our Creator, Savior, and Friend. We can gratefully rest in His presence.
Meet Jennifer Jabbour
Jennifer Jabbour resides in the scenic San Diego countryside with her husband, adult son, teen daughter, and their hilarious English Bulldog. Jennifer is the author of two books, 31 Days to a Stronger Quiet Time: Your Guide to Developing a Personal Quiet Time Routine, and Journey to Christmas: Unwrapping the Christmas Story in 25 Days.
Jennifer’s mission is to equip and empower women to clarify their vision and to boldly step forward in response to God’s calling on their life. She also encourages others to seek God first in all they do and experience His abundance. Jennifer has a B.A. in Integrated Business Communications and is a Go + Tell Gals licensed life coach. Jennifer is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and an avid outdoors-woman.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
