At the moment, the days seem long, cold and dreary as we are in the middle of winter. Summer has long gone, Spring seems a long way off and Winter is well just Winter. This Winter has been an exceptionally cold one, along with countless struggles of power issues and load shedding (only in South Africa will one know what this actually means.)

Suddenly the beauty of right begins to sag as I feel colder and more dissatisfied. I forget that just yesterday, the blue sky was beautiful, the warmth of the sun invigorating and just how much I was enjoying the warmer day. Quickly forgetting the warmth of yesterday, I begin to dream or long for something more and live with the expectation of a better day to come.  

In Winter, we long for Spring, and then in Spring, we eagerly await Summer, and so it goes. Yet as I watch others, some embrace the season they are in (both literally and figuratively) so well but here I am grumbling about nothing really, just grumbling.

I think that life is like that. In our constant search for greener grass, we often miss the flowers—or the winter wonderland—right in front of us. The spiral of complaint and dissatisfaction is downwards and can become a common pattern, a choice or default setting. Every time we focus on what we don’t have we become a little less satisfied with what we do. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t dream or reach for something better, but always with an awareness that each moment, however hard, barren or dry is a gift from God and one to cherish.

There is purpose in each step we take in our journey to eternity, and because of this, hope glimmers even on our gloomiest days. Storms are an inevitable part of life but as Christ followers we can know a greater peace because He is the prince of peace.

So for now, I am going to be grateful, give thanks, enjoy today (no matter what it holds) and be satisfied but expectant as that is what contentment is.