SETTLING

Settling. The word comes up in conversation, but with it come a variety of connotations. What is settling anyway? Is it necessarily a bad thing?​

People often think of settling as just going along with something that isn't ideal. This happens for many reasons, such as impatience, lack of willingness to work hard or make a change, or fear that the future holds nothing "better." 
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We "settle" for partners that are just good enough, homes that are just okay, and for jobs that we don't love. But then again, doesn't God call us to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:12) and to recognize that everything in our lives is a gift from God (John 17:7)?

If the dictionary definition of settling means to resolve or reach an agreement about a problem, or to adopt a more steady or secure lifestyle, settling doesn't really seem like such a bad thing in the end.

Maybe settling for something or someone simply means to stop looking for flaws and to stop trying to find something that's wrong with the picture. Maybe it is realizing that every path will have adversity, and the real reward is in working through that. Every relationship will have challenges to overcome. No person or job or home or thing is perfect, so perhaps when we "settle", or resolve to something, ​we are simply choosing to love with grateful hearts. Maybe to settle means to choose contentment and to resolve to work hard on nurturing and investing into what one has, instead of always wondering if something better lies around the corner.

Interesting article about a biblical approach to settling:

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/preparing-for-marriage/searching-for-a-sole-mate/settling-for-a-spouse_