There is a Rolling Stones song called 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'. That seems to be a theme in life today. That elusive thing called 'happiness' always seems just out of reach. We try in so many ways to be happy. We think if we only had a boyfriend or spouse, we'd be happy. However, once we're in a relationship, we find it's not all we dreamed. We think if we had a bigger house or nicer vehicle, we'd be happy. But once those little coupon books arrive, we're not happy at all. We think if we had a better job, we'd be happy. However, that 'better' job could come with a lot of stress causing sleepless nights, fissures in relationships, and can be hazardous to our health. We always want more no matter how blessed we already are.
The Prodigal Son is a good example of this. He didn't need his inheritance from his father. He had everything he could ask for at his fingertips. But he wanted his inheritance to do with as he pleased. After wasting all he had, he ended up feeding pigs, tempted to eat what he fed them. He realized what we wanted had not been good for him and returned home to his father.
Life is not easy, no matter who you are. I am convinced true happiness only occurs in fleeting moments. I have yet to meet anyone who is completely happy day after day for the simple reason that 'life happens'. As Christians, we are not meant to be happy in this life for a long period of time. If we were continuously happy, we wouldn't look forward to heaven, nor would we grow as Christians. It is life's adversity that helps us grow into a reflection of Christ.
It takes much examination and self-evaluating to realize you are never satisfied. I know, because I have been doing this for quite some time. I realized that I have never been satisfied with my life. I have always wanted something different, whether it is a house, vehicle, relationship, or job. I began to wonder why. Why was nothing ever what I wanted it to be? And therein lay the key.
Did you see it? I got things I wanted. Just because I wanted them, however, didn't mean they were the best thing for me. More importantly, just because I wanted them didn't mean that was what God had intended for me. Being a loving Father, He didn't force His plan for my life upon me, but allowed me to have things that were ultimately detrimental to me. Once I realized this, I began a new prayer where I did not ask for the things I wanted, but only those I need. I have come to realize that I don't know what I really want in life. If I trust God with my eternal soul, can I not trust Him to provide what is best for me in this world, also?
Yes, there are many things in life I would like to have, but they might not be what is best for me in the long run. As the song goes, “You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.”