You and I have something in common. We are both easily unsatisfied. We subconsciously have this utopian expectation of what each day should look like; after all, college is supposedly the best time of our lives, right? Some of our days consist of ab-sculpting laughter with friends, spontaneous Target and India Garden trips, deep, meaningful conversations with those we love, and car karaoke sessions that go from 0-100. I really like those days. On those days, I rightfully think to myself, “life is great, I’m enjoying this.” Yet, here’s my confession: if days following that euphoric day show any signs of monotony, I’m throwing myself a pity party. I’ll swing to the complete opposite end of the pendulum, the “Why is my life so drab? When will it be my turn, God?” side. I know, so dramatic! I have two related theories regarding this quandary: greed and spiritual immaturity.
Greed, “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed.”. This theory is perhaps the more obvious of the two. Unlike any other time period, we have access to bursts of dopamine right at our fingertips. Feeling invisible? Just post a photo on Instagram and receive affirmation in under ten seconds. Need a mood booster? Hop onto Tik Tok and experience instant comedic relief. Unmotivated? Find a plethora of motivational clips on YouTube. Every single day, at all hours of the day, we are feeding our impulses with temporary highs. We do whatever is necessary to avoid any feelings of boredom or under-stimulation. Hence, when the high of that ‘really good day’ wears off, we’re left feeling unenthused, seeking the next burst of dopamine. Not only does this toxic pattern develop an unhealthy craving for consistent, excess amounts of thrills, but this principle of ‘have it when you want it’ also bleeds into our walk with God, which leads me to the second theory.
Spiritual immaturity. Now, this perspective may be less obvious. Just as we’re able to satisfy our cravings with the click of a button, we often apply that same mindset to our dealings with God. Do any of the following prayer requests sound familiar? “God, I humbly asked for a sign. Where is it?” “Lord, you promised me a really good thing. Have you forgotten?” “God, if you do this one thing for me, right now, I promise I’ll stay faithful.” Then, when God fails to be our genie, we throw pity parties! “God, I thought You said You loved me! Don’t You want me to be happy/financially secure/in love/at peace?!” If we’re not careful, we can become entitled, immature, unsatisfied brats concerning our relations with God, as well as our overall approach to life. Thankfully, God knows how easily we can succumb to this attitude. He reminds us in Philippians 4:11 to “learn to be content in whatever circumstances.” To learn something means to put that thing into practice; to commit to increasing one’s knowledge about that thing and understanding its application in everyday life. In this case, it means practicing gratitude for the little wins of each day, in addition to the extra-ordinary days, rather than waiting for an emotional high. It means committing to refining our perspectives of what we consider mundane.
Dear reader, the majority of life is not a state of euphoria. We won’t enjoy tearful humor, tasty food, romantic butterflies, and spontaneous day trips every single day. The bomb Instagram post will be forgotten about, the Tik Tok will lose its zest, and the motivation, despite the YouTube binge, will run out. We need to re-train our minds to accept life’s monotony. What if we viewed ‘ordinary’ days as an opportunity to further mature our perspectives? You are not “bored”; you are still. You are not “lacking spontaneity”; you are prioritizing your to-do list as an adult with responsibilities. You are not in dire need of a “fresh season”; you are experiencing the natural highs and lows of the one you’re currently in. Commit to contentment, commit to gratitude, and allow yourself to ride the natural waves of life. I believe in us.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.