contentment

sometimes i wonder why i am a student. why do i ask my parents to pay for classes that i choose to sleep through half of the time? why do i put myself through the stress of pop quizzes and 8 am classes? i had a conversation with a friend the other day and it was brought up that in the four years that she went to college she only skipped class once. i was astonished and answered with cool nonchalance that barely a week goes by that i don’t skip at least one class. what i mistook for nonchalance, i now recognize with shame as indifference. but there are so many better, higher, worthier things i could be doing with my time! i could be building up the kingdom of heaven! i could, but am i? no. in the time that i should be going to class i am doing nothing more worthy than sleeping. when i told my mom that i had made skipping a regular occurrence, she said that learning what you can get away with is part of being an adult. that may be true, but do i really want to be perceived as the girl whose greatest concern is to get the best possible outcome from the least amount of effort?

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the world of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:15-17

maybe if i were going to class i would be getting a chance to share the gospel with a class mate. if i were on the bus i could be loving those around me. even if i went to every class all week and never got a chance to do either of these things, perhaps i could pursue the opportunity given to me to glorify God by using the abilities he has given me to grow and learn and work hard. no matter what season of life i am in, no matter what mundane tasks i am responsible for doing, i will pray to learn contentment so that i may better glorify God.

If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
Job 36:11