walking with God

i was starring at a portrait of my family on my wall this morning and began to be filled with gratitude for them. i have a beautiful family - a wonderful husband, beautiful daughter, one of the way. It made me start thinking about my life. i have a good job. I'm self-sufficient. I'm not in crisis. i am able to live pretty comfortably. i have a lot of friends. from the outside, I probably look like i've accomplished what most Americans want, and, what most individuals desire - happiness. It's the thought of being loved and accepted, married with children, owning a home and being able to pay your bills. The ideal life that so many of us aspire to live for. what's next when it's attained?

Well, for many of us, it's bigger aspirations, bigger toys, bigger plans and dreams. But even in our endeavors to find happiness - I find the majority of people who attain all that the American dream offers are never ever happy or satisfied - with their identity, with their lives, with themselves. There's always something bigger and better. I believe the reason we are truly never satisfied is because the "bigger and better" lies in a void that can not be filled with anything that this world offers. It can only come from God Himself. If we are missing our true cause and purpose in this life - walking this journey in relationship with God - then we will never truly be satisfied with the life we are living. there will always be a void felt...and a striving in our souls that will never feel filled. Walking with God challenges us to not rely on ourselves anymore. It allows us to let go and life be what it is. I believe thats why 1 Timothy says, "godliness with contentment is great gain..." Without relationship with God we become discontent because our focus is on the issues of this world. We exhaust ourselves with the thoughts of getting married, having money, building a family, buying a house, what to wear, how we look, what people think, and the list goes on and on. But as we learn to walk with God, peace and contentment comes in the mist of a loud world of worries and aspirations. I'm not saying never dream. Dream big! Because its in walking with God that dreams seem possible. Its where aspirations turn to reality. Its where we stop striving and allow God to be God. This is where I'm at. This is where I want to be. Everyday is another day to choose to walk it with God. It's the road less traveled, but its the better way. it's the only way.