One of the keys to growth in this life is an internal sense of, “This isn’t good enough.” When it comes to our friendships, our marriages, our spirituality, our health, our parenting and everything else, we can’t allow ourselves to be too easily pleased. Too many people walk around with smiling faces pretending that everything is fine when it’s not. How do these phrases feel to you?

“This isn’t good enough.”

“This doesn’t work for me.”

“This can’t stay this way.”

“This has to get better.”

“There must be more to life than this.”

There is absolutely something to be said for a state of contentment and what I’m not saying is that we all need to become spoiled little brats that are never satisfied. What I am saying is that God has so much for us in this life. More than we could ever ask or imagine. If we are going to experience that immeasurably more we must stay honest with ourselves and with others about what isn’t good enough. Don’t be afraid to say it. The first step to restoration is recognition.

You may need to have some honest conversations with people who are close to you where you acknowledge what isn’t working. Obviously God isn’t calling you to quit on your marriage but he is calling you to fight for more. God isn’t necessarily calling you to get rid of your friends or quit your job but he’s also not calling you to a mediocre life.

One thing that I don’t want for you or for me is to get the end of our lives and wonder, “What if?” “What if I had prayed harder?” “What if I had given it my all?” “What if I didn’t settle?” I don’t want those what ifs. I want to get to the end of my life and feel like I capitalized on every ounce of existence.

Maybe the next step for you is a healthy dose of, “This isn’t good enough.”