As a culture, and specifically as a student body, we are discontent.
We “hate” the Great Hall. We “hate” our homework. We “hate” our practice hours. We “hate” the fog. We “hate” going to chapel. We “hate” administration. And we “hate” that Covenant is a giant bubble.
Are these thoughts valid? Maybe, but why do we feel so strongly about these things that we are investing in? To be cynical, I think the shallow answer might be because these things get in the way; they trip us up and piss us off.
If you know me at all, you can testify that I complain about these things probably more than anyone. And I think it is because what I thought was my life trajectory has been rudely flushed, and anyone or anything that reminds me of that needs to leave.
A lot of us have felt this way. And a lot of us especially feel this way when looking at someone’s happily engaged grin on Instagram. Relationships are another way that my life, and probably yours, have taken the wrong turn. Lots of people, lots of mistakes, lots of heartbreak. And then you call your mom, talk to your RA, and they so kindly remind you to never fear, because Jesus is here.
And yet, that makes us more angry. Why?
A good friend once told me “I feel like we are always pushing to more ... Just be a good ‘whatever you are’ to him now. If that progresses, be good at that. If that slides backwards, be good at that.” He was right (Danny Lloyd—meet him).
I was so caught up in trying to insinuate the next step in a relationship that I forgot to be a good “whatever I was” to that person. Now that’s over, but it is over because I decided to be bad at what I was. When we meet, we push to be acquaintances. When we are acquaintances, we push to be friends. Friends to good friends, to best friends, maybe to dating, ring, married?
When it comes to our spiritual lives, we do the opposite. We are really good at being what we are: sinners. This is why we are so content at being discontent. We want more: we want better food, better classes, more time, better people, and less distractions from our distractions, and we want a God that is going to give all of that to us. We forget that we are already bought, that He has died, that we have the most incredible gift.
What if we decided to be good at what we are? Sons and Daughters, Heirs and coheirs, friends, coworkers, citizens, students.