Art of okay
Have you ever noticed at fast food restaurants, establishments that already thrive in a rushed lifestyle, there are plenty of upgrades you can make. Entering you are set on one specific item but eventually you are sold upgrades or add-ons to create a complete meal. Instead of a simple hamburger you end up with a horrifically huge order of fries and a cup of soda, that you could probably swim in.
“Would you like upgrade?” “How would you like to add on…?” Clever questions that lure you into a state of doubt and desire. This disquieted state is provoked in more ways that we realize and if we are not careful it can lead to our demise. Jesus tells in a parable about a farmer that got transfixed on the surplus of his crops and the possibility for building and preparing for more in order to produce and make bigger profits. Yet, near completion he dies and never grasp peace in his life. It is easy to let ourselves be caught up in the same mentality as we compare and listen to the devious voices planting seeds of discontentment, and discontentment is the catalyst for the mad and chaotic circle of consumption.
The key to contentment is centering yourself or resting on a firm foundation. When you come to terms and recognize the stability you experience, nothing else compares. This is why Jesus advises his followers to, “See FIRST the Kingdom of God.” When we prioritize the Kingdom and let ourselves “Steep in Kingdom reality” (as Eugene Peterson says) we begin to find true contentment. We don’t need to upgrade or add more because what we have is ENOUGH. From the very beginning of time, God has always provided for humanity. Notice in the garden it was the same devious voice sowing seeds of doubt in Adam and Eve’s mind as the one at work today. In one single moment you can be thanking God and in the next breath, as you glance over at your neighbor or friend’s same item, be filled with discontentment sparked by comparison and doubt. Comparison kills our joy and seizes our gaze away from God.
The early desert mothers and fathers recognized the danger of discontentment and comparison. Disciplines were created to declutter their minds and steady their gaze on God’s promises. Practices like Simplicity and fasting were used to identify and remove distractions and simplify life. Recently, I have discovered a prayer that quiets my wondering heart and gaze and nurtures contentment in God. Jesus taught us to pray,
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive those indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, both now and forever. Amen”
The very core of this prayer nurtures dependence and contentment with God. It relinquishes our need to control and allows us to find joy with God alone. God provides what you need and promises to take care of you. The line, “ give us this day our daily bread” stirs the imagination for what God can and will do if we let him. Those words position our own agendas to take a back seat and allow God to be God in every way. We don’t need more or continual upgrades in our lives, we need God. It is the enemy that whispers you need more or that item is not good enough.
I have found that when I am asked about upgrading or adding on my natural response is, “I am okay.” There is an art and beauty to being okay. It embraces a posture of contentment and keeps us in step with Jesus. When we steep ourselves in Kingdom reality, we gain clarity to our vision and decisions. This requires a constant mindfulness of our too often wandering heart and eyes. It also requires an ongoing practice of saying “no thanks” to more. The art of okay means taking less trips to the store to buy more or being content with what you have without longing for the upgrade. As we steep in Kingdom reality we gain Kingdom clarity and are able to appreciate and embrace the life God has given without wandering eyes or needing to “add on.”
