"There is so much we tend to want. There are so many things that we think we need. There are many things to which we feel entitled. Each day is approached with thoughts of where we would like to go, what we would like to do, and who we would like to see. Our minds are easily filled with short-term desires and long-term plans. We tend to design tight schedules and don't like interruptions in our way. We all tend to be quite committed to making our lives as comfortable as they can be and we all like to be in control of what happens to us. Because of this, contentment is hard for us. In any given day, each of us is more apt at expressing discontent than gratitude.Real contentment isn't produced by external circumstances, but from attitudes of the heart. If you need life to be a certain way in order to be content, you won't experience contentment very often. True contentment is the result of gratitude and real gratitude is the result of humility. When you begin to realize that everyday you receive much more blessing than you could ever deserve, you are able to be content even in situations that you would have never chosen. When you are able to see that even in the darkest of moments there are things for which to be thankful, then you are able to experience contentment mixing with pain. When purposes that are larger then your own momentary happiness are what capture your heart and structure your activity, you are able to be content even when things aren't going your way."Paul Tripp