Below are five statements that you may agree or disagree with. Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with each item by placing the appropriate number on the line preceding that item. Please be open and honest in your responding.
- 7 - Strongly agree
- 6 - Agree
- 5 - Slightly agree
- 4 - Neither agree nor disagree
- 3 - Slightly disagree
- 2 - Disagree
- 1 - Strongly disagree
1. In most ways, my life is close to ideal.
2. The conditions of my life are excellent.
3. I am satisfied with my life.
4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
Add your answers up and see where you fall:
- 31-35 Extremely satisfied
- 26-30 Satisfied
- 21-25 Slightly satisfied
- 20 Neutral
- 15-19 Slightly dissatisfied
- 10-14 Dissatisfied
- 5-9 Extremely dissatisfied
That's it. My stomach was churning over this dumb thing, like I was really angry about this. Side note: I am an incredibly emotional, anxiety-ridden, short-fused person. When I start to feel things, like my stomach churning with rage, I have to stop and really boil down why I feel that way. So I did.
As I read each question, I didn't know how to respond with anything less than a 7. I mean I am an over thinker, and that's what happened here without a doubt, but in this instance I was thankful. How could I say that the conditions of my life are anything less than excellent? I was sitting in the App State computer lab looking at a 27-inch monitor in a warm room, and when I was done, I was going to walk back to my warm, furnished apartment and make a delicious meal with all of the ingredients in my fridge, and then I was going to lay in my huge, comfy bed and watch Netflix on my Mac. Privilege. This question deserved nothing less than a 7. When asked if my life was close to ideal, or if I was satisfied with my life, I had to think long and hard. I put 7's for these questions, as well. How can I not be satisfied?
Satisfaction:
a. The fulfillment or gratification of a desire, need, or appetite.
b. Pleasure or contentment derived from such gratification.
c. A source or means of gratification.
I'd say that satisfaction comes from the conditions of my life, which are above and beyond what I could ever need. If you do not feel satisfied, write about it. Pray about it. Make a list. You will find a way to feel satisfaction, guaranteed. I started to think about what satisfaction must mean to those in places where they are being persecuted for what they believe, and those who fall asleep hungry or cold, those who have been forced into human trafficking, and those who are completely alone,without hope, and without any resources to provide help. I was thinking about how they would answer these questions. Here in the US, I feel immense financial pressure. Satisfaction stems from money. Wrong. I was thinking about how I would feel if my survey were compared to someone from some third world country and how I would feel if they had put all 7's on their survey and I had put anything less. After I quickly ran through this scenario in my mind, my questions received all 7's.
One particular question really got me: So far I have gotten the important things I want in life...Um. If you read my blog, you know I struggle with want and material desire. I think a lot of the pressure that we feel comes from this idea of want. We want so many things that we can never truly be satisfied. We are trying to fill a hole that can't be filled by all of the things that we want.
I have learned something huge since I moved to Boone: it isn't about what I want. My whole life I have prayed for things like, "God, please keep us safe on this car ride. God, please help me make it through grad school. God, please keep me and my loved ones healthy and safe. God, please don't let this happen or God, please don't let that happen." I have a new prayer. My prayer is that God will work how He sees best fit, which ultimately He will. It may not be what I want, and the results may be devastating, but I have to be okay with that. He knows what is best for me and I take great comfort in that. When I realize all of these things, I can feel the pressure melt away. It will never be about what I want, and thank God, really. I am only human and relying on myself, or anyone else, or material needs will always leave me wanting. I'm tired of wanting. I am deeply satisfied with the conditions of my life and the comfort that I find through Jesus Christ.
Overriding selfishness and self desire takes work. I mean constant work. It goes against human nature and it is HARD. I'm a firm believer that self-reflection is crucial. I recognize that maybe my thought process was a little different from others when taking this survey, but I think it's necessary.
Readers, I hope you feel comfort and I hope you feel satisfaction. Sometimes we get clouded by all of the things that are going on in our lives, I know. Sift through the fog of worry, doubt, and fear and recognize all that we have. Forgive those who are hurting you and it will set you free. Look past everything that is weighing you down and realize the immense satisfaction that you have been blessed with. Lying underneath of it all is hope and new found joy in the simple things.
Now go make a sandwich or order some takeout. It's lunchtime and I'm hungry, so I'm going to eat because I can. Here's to 7's all around, people.
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
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