It's okay to be O.K.

Philippians 4:10-13 (New Living Translation)

Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts

 ¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ,^[a] who gives me strength. 

I've been thinking about the above verse lately. I've been thinking about what it means for me to be content, for me to be o.k. I realize that I can be o.k. with who I am, how I am, what I am. For me being content is not me sticking my head in the mud and saying " this is just who I am, I will always be this way," It's me really looking at myself, my life, my journey thus far. It's me taking inventory of my current situation and looking back down the road to see how far I've come.

Being content is about recognizing what's been done by you, for you, and with you. I know that if I am always looking for who I " want to be" or who I'm "not" then that is a pretty depressing life. In all reality, no one is really ever going to reach perfection on this side of eternity. Being content, being  o.k. with myself is about celebrating the journey thus far, and acknowledging the hard work it took to get here, and giving praise to God for his guidance, and thanking those who have walked alongside me on this journey, up to this point.

Stopping at each milestone and remembering, giving praise, having a heart of gratitude and expectation for the things to come, not just things, but growth, deeper relationships, hard things too, for they bring the best results.( even though they are really tough to go through)

I know that I am not " all I ever want to be right now" however, I am at the same time. I will always be growing and maturing and learning new ways to humble myself, better ways to listen,  more strategic ways to get things done. I will still need to  work on slowing down, keeping focus, and many other things, but that is my point, this life is about growing and learning and being who we are. I firmly believe that it is really important, crucial in fact to my well being to be o.k. with me as is. It's where I start. It's me being real and honest with me.

The honesty free's me up to see where I am and be o.k. with the good, bad and the ugly, but also gives me the opportunity to improve on those things too. I think about my weight loss journey. I think about how I used to believe I would really love myself when I got " skinny", then I would be loveable and somehow that self -love would just automatically turn itself on... I'm not " skinny" yet, in fact I don't know if I will ever be classified as such, but I do know that if I don't love myself now, I won't love myself later. So I love me now, as I am, and I am working on my body, but it has nothing to do with loving me now.

I am learning to be o.k. so I can take time for evaluation, honestly checking myself, honestly giving God praise for who he is in my life and for what he has done, and  being able to celebrate with those who love me along the way.

Whatever situation you find yourself  in today, find something in it to celebrate, find a growing edge, look for a way to encourage someone else. Our life is our life, it isn't about comparing one person's heartache to someone else's heartache. 

We are where we are in this life and that's our starting point, keep  moving forward, I encourage you to celebrate and take joyful inventory along the way, after all, we only have one life to live.