…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Phil 4:11-12)

Lately, I’m parsing the lessons the Lord has been teaching me during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve realized just how much my circumstances inform my ability to be content. At various times in my life, I’ve complained about my busy schedule, disliking large crowds, and having to cook. During the lockdown, I complained about canceled events, isolation, and having to cook.

When circumstances don’t go my way, or maybe especially then, my attitude makes a difference in how I approach difficult situations. Contentment is not possible when I rely on myself or my circumstances. My human nature wants something more, better, different.

How do we achieve contentment when the world around us tells us to keep striving? That what we have will never be enough? That we will never be enough?

Here are four practices that have helped me:

Serve Others

Serving others helps me focus on someone other than myself. I volunteer in various capacities for writing organizations, my church, and a senior nutrition center. Each place gives me an opportunity to interact with people from different walks of life with different experiences than my own. I can learn and grow when I stop long enough to listen to these people.

When serving others, I have to be careful not to find my worth in these activities. Busyness does not equal worthiness in God’s eyes, even when the causes I give my time to are good ones.

Be Grateful

Writing in my gratitude journal reminds me to look around me for good things. When I sit down to write, my attitude is revealed. Do I feel entitled to a different life? Grumpy because something I want to happen isn’t? I don’t have to write much for my attitude to improve. Often, I just list one item each day, and later, I read through the list and remember how much God has blessed me. A grateful heart is a contented heart, no matter our circumstances.

Avoid Comparison

When we look around at what others have, we notice what we lack. Nothing has changed except our attitude. Comparison is a dangerous trap that leads to discontent. We will never be satisfied when our eyes are on others and the prize is whatever they have. Envy is at the heart of comparison, and one way to root that out is to cheer for and support others. When I compare my writing journey to that of my fellow authors, I feel mediocre at best. If I dwell on it too long, I begin to think I should just give up because I will never be at the same level. But it helps to remember that I’m not on the same journey. And when I offer my congratulations and support for their achievements, the envy monster retreats.

Be Present

I recently wrote a blog post about how the quarantine has taught me to be present. I’ve let many moments pass me by. Work often gets in the way, and things like my cell phone divert my attention. I don’t want that to be the norm any longer. I want to show up for my life.

Cultivating contentment does not mean we are always happy. It doesn’t mean that everything in life is just the way we want it. We will have moments of unrest, uncertainty, and unhappiness. We may still want certain things to change. Cultivating contentment means we don’t stay in those moments. We lean on Jesus and turn them over to him. He knows the outcome and will help us through.

Dear Jesus, thank you for always being there. Teach me to be content, and show me the many blessings that surround me. Amen.