Habit #2: Cultivate contentment and gratitude
Expecting marriage or money to make us happy will always lead to disappointment. But there is something that will lead to joy in those areas: cultivating the habit of contentment and gratitude.
How? Shortly after commanding the persecuted church members in Ephesus to “Rejoice!” the Apostle Paul gives the prescription for how to do exactly that, even in a time of trial: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
There will always be worries… and there will always be things that are worthy of praise. Focusing on the latter changes everything.
One couple we interviewed, Fernando and Olivia, had a deep contentment despite their constrained financial situation – and one of the main factors was their genuine gratitude. As he described, “I make $18 an hour and we have a family of five in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Our rent alone is $1,900 a month. But we have two working vehicles and our kids aren’t deprived. Somehow, we make it happen. I work two jobs. And even with all of that, I know we’re kind of broke.”
Olivia added, “But we love our lives. Our three girls share one room, and they don’t complain. We have three twin beds in one bedroom. And two dogs and seven fish.”
“And a turtle,” Fernando added.
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