Are you content with your life? Contentment is defined on gotquestions.org as “the state of being mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are.” Especially as a caregiver, you may feel this is a difficult thing to achieve when your days are full of uncertainty, difficult medical decisions, and bills. But the reality is that true contentment and rest in the Lord will be above the circumstances of your life.

Most of us struggle with wanting to be in control. We want to decide for ourselves whom we will marry, our vocation, where we will live. And who among us wouldn’t choose today to put an end to the disease our loved one is battling? There are countless factors outside of our control that will influence these decisions and possibly prevent your choices from coming to fruition. The question to ask ourselves is whether or not these things are keeping us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love?

As Christians, it is our obligation, as well as a privilege, to rely on the Lord even when we don’t get what we think we want. Contentment does not mean pretending everything is easy, perfect, or what we choose for ourselves. We are not expected to paste on a smile when the progression of our loved one’s illness shortens their life or when our day is full of an overwhelming amount of caregiving tasks. Instead, contentment means accepting that God himself is your portion–your inheritance, security and rest. He alone is able to give you strength every day to go from “I can’t do this anymore” to “let me serve with love.” God is able to help us see that he fills our cup to overflowing when we rely on him to get through the day. True rest does not come when your caregiving ends. It is found when we lean on the one who will never grow weary and is steadfast in his care for his children.