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HOW TO FIGHT A DISEASE THAT AFFECTS US ALL
D run to the One who has the cure, and guard our hearts

rip…drip…drip…splat!
against future infection.

The sticky, dark brown liquid melted down the
cone, over tiny knuckles, and created a small
puddle on the kitchen floor below. PROGNOSIS OF THE HEART

We weren’t always discontent. In the first two chapters
“Emily, why aren’t you eating your ice cream cone? You of the Bible, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect,
love ice cream.” unadulterated relationship with God in their home, the
Garden of Eden. Perfect contentment existed in them
“Mom, I want strawberry, not chocolate.” Emily’s round and between them. Then Satan, in the form of a
cheeks and full smile fell into an unmistakable pout. serpent, deceived them into believing lies about
themselves and how they related to God. From that
“But when I told you all we had was chocolate you point forward, sin entered the world, Adam and Eve
agreed. It’s important to be thankful for what you were banned from the Garden, and every human has
have.” Luckily, at that moment, Emily’s dad came been infected with discontentment.
through the kitchen, so the ice cream cone didn’t go to
waste after all. The Bible records many historical examples of
discontentment: King David’s adultery with Bathsheba,
Regardless of our age, gender, ethnicity, or King Solomon writing the entire book of Ecclesiastes,
socioeconomic status, we are all like Emily. However, and Judas’ betrayal of Jesus to name a few. Today, we
instead of being discontent about ice cream, our are more familiar with—and we participate in—things
attention focuses on our job, education, family, like comparing ourselves to others through social
relationships, income, abilities, personality, looks, and media, living vicariously through entertainment (movies,
more. And, being dissatisfied in these categories goes music, and books), consistently hopping from
much, much deeper than the kitchen floor. Our relationship to relationship, and wishing we had done
identities and our very souls are affected. more or done better by now.

Discontentment may seem normal because everyone
experiences it, but just because it is common doesn’t The disease of discontentment is a matter of the heart,
mean it’s benign. We must see the disease for what it is, not circumstances. We all feel that a different spouse, a
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