Forward progress in the quest for contentment

In the last few weeks, an amazing feeling has come over me as the economy has fallen into a huge crisis.....a feeling that is not normal for me in a time of crisis....that feeling can only be described as CONTENTMENT.

Normally an economic atmosphere like we're in now would send me into a panic, but strangely, I am calm and without a lot of worry. Now, that's not to say that I'm not livid with greedy banks, fraudulent/predatory lending, and people who didn't do any research and/or knew full well that they were getting in over their heads but didn't care and now want the rest of us to pick up the tab and feel sorry for them (NOT going to happen here!).

I have always believed in living within your means and have done a decent job at practicing what I preach. However, it has been very hard to see people with things that I just cannot afford. I think now I am almost relieved that the economy finally collapsed so that all of those people that were strutting around trying to impress everyone with their fancy cars, purses, vacations, mansions, etc. that they couldn't even almost afford are brought back down to earth and humbled.

A good majority of the people we all envy that have endless supplies of nice things and seemingly the perfect life with everything they want really are living a lie. Some know that they have been living a lie and some are in a SERIOUS state of denial about it. Either way, that bubble burst and now they are being humbled and hopefully are learning that "stuff" doesn't buy REAL friends, it doesn't comfort you after a horrible day at work and it certainly doesn't guarantee that your kids really feel loved by you. At the end of the day, stuff is just stuff.

I was listening to a pastor speak on the radio on my way to work today and what he said really struck me. He compared the process of mining gold ore to humans being 'refined' through trials in our lives. He described how gold is mined, in that it takes a LOT of ore just to create a perfect ounce of gold. In order to get to a perfect specimen of gold, you have to heat up the gold ore and liquify it so that the impurities will separate from the pure gold. Then you are left with pure, beautiful gold. He said that we are the same way - we have to go through a process in which we are 'heated up' and put through trials so that we can be separated from bad things in our lives, humbled and purified.

In this economy/credit crisis, I think a lot of people are realizing that their lives are a big fake lie and they have been obsessed with stuff, their pride and greed. I personally feel that it is absolutely LIBERATING to be honest with yourself about what 'your means' really are and what you can/can't afford. It's OK if you can't afford your dream house right now, it's OK if you can't go on as many vacations as your neighbor, it's OK if you can't afford to eat at fancy restaurants. I sleep much better at night knowing that I'm living an honest life and I'm being a good steward of my money and my soul!