The mugs in my kitchen hang on a small coat rack that mounts to the wall.  The cast iron hooks are decorated with the forms of small birds and twigs. They guard my collection of coffee mugs and greet me every morning with much appreciated silence.

Today when I stared bleary-eyed at the mugs and tried to decide which one to use, I was hit with a thought: “I don’t like any of these mugs anymore. I need a new one.”

Who hasn’t been there? Tired. Bored. Something new sounds nice. But today I was struck by how intensely I felt it. Where did that thought come from? And why did it feel so…sour.

I’ve been trying lately to submit to the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. To surrender all areas of my heart to His healing and leading. I’ve found this simple act makes my heart much more sensitive, and also much more alert to things that would damage my soul. For some reason this seemingly small thought this morning jolted me. I wondered how often I let small discontentments creep in, and how often I give in to them.

I don’t need anything. I want something. Something different. Something more.

I realized in that moment how dangerous that thinking is. How it is a very real albeit innocent crossroads. It’s no big deal to buy a new mug, but what’s behind that? And when does it end? If I allow myself to be discontent and give in to that feeling that what I have isn’t good enough, how far will it follow through? Coffee mugs today, then clothes, then house, job ….church? …Family?

I don’t need a new mug. I need a new heart.

I need a heart that is content with my material possessions and discontent with my spiritual possessions. Not the other way around.

I need to start saying no to discontentment and yes to Jesus. To awe, to wonder, inspiration. Discipline won’t hurt either.

I choose to want more heaven not earth. Even if I have to do it while drinking out of an old coffee mug.