Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. (Phillipians 4:11-13, NLT)
Have I been content with whatever I have and with whatever situation I am in? Sometimes, yes. Admittedly and sadly too often, no.
How do I obtain this deep and sustaining contentment? As with most Americans, I have learned from a world where happiness equals the pursuit of tangible and material successes and possessions. It seems as if everyone is running toward some future goal where they dream to grasp by their own earning what they perceive as their contentment.
If I can just keep going...only five more years until I retire….
Next year I’ll finally be old enough to get my driver’s license, that’s when life really begins….
Our family will finally be complete when I have children…
Once I get to college, I’ll figure it all out there…
Once I find and marry the man God has to me, I won’t feel so lonely…
When I earn my degree…
When I get that job…
When I make X amount of dollars…
When I buy that perfect home…
What if these goals we so desperately want to come to fruition never happen?
What if the largest blessing you could actually receive would be a result of you not getting what you want?
What if growing closer in relationship with your Heavenly Father meant letting His will supersede your own?
God wants our ENTIRE being. Our heart, mind, soul. How can He bless us with our desires when we are putting these worldly yearnings above our desire for Him? I don’t know about you, but I have continually learned this lesson the hard way. I’m a natural go-getter. I know what I want, and I go after it with fervor. I rely on my own abilities to achieve my desires. I could use this quality for good and for the kingdom. But too often I use it selfishly, and without the go-ahead from Him. And guess what happens? Yup. Not much good, and never long-standing peace and contentment.
We suffer from lack of contentment. We are so busy striving for one of the above mentioned scenarios or another version of "the next step" that we forget to feel gratitude and peace for our current life and the abundant love we are receiving RIGHT NOW. Too many of us define our joy (or our deluded idea of joy) by what we have accomplished or gained in our current circumstances.
In light of contentment, Chip Ingram states in a recent blog that the most important question you can ask yourself is not what have you achieved or acquired, but who are you becoming? In his words:
“ Becoming, as God defines it, sparks many more questions: What type of person are you? How is your soul growing? Are you kinder and more patient and more loving? Are your relationships deeper? Are you more deeply connected to God? Are you hearing his voice like never before?”
The times when I could answer "yes" to those last five questions are the times when I have experienced true contentment.
Have I been content with whatever I have and with whatever situation I am in? Sometimes, yes. Admittedly and sadly too often, no.
How do I obtain this deep and sustaining contentment? As with most Americans, I have learned from a world where happiness equals the pursuit of tangible and material successes and possessions. It seems as if everyone is running toward some future goal where they dream to grasp by their own earning what they perceive as their contentment.
If I can just keep going...only five more years until I retire….
Next year I’ll finally be old enough to get my driver’s license, that’s when life really begins….
Our family will finally be complete when I have children…
Once I get to college, I’ll figure it all out there…
Once I find and marry the man God has to me, I won’t feel so lonely…
When I earn my degree…
When I get that job…
When I make X amount of dollars…
When I buy that perfect home…
What if these goals we so desperately want to come to fruition never happen?
What if the largest blessing you could actually receive would be a result of you not getting what you want?
What if growing closer in relationship with your Heavenly Father meant letting His will supersede your own?
God wants our ENTIRE being. Our heart, mind, soul. How can He bless us with our desires when we are putting these worldly yearnings above our desire for Him? I don’t know about you, but I have continually learned this lesson the hard way. I’m a natural go-getter. I know what I want, and I go after it with fervor. I rely on my own abilities to achieve my desires. I could use this quality for good and for the kingdom. But too often I use it selfishly, and without the go-ahead from Him. And guess what happens? Yup. Not much good, and never long-standing peace and contentment.
We suffer from lack of contentment. We are so busy striving for one of the above mentioned scenarios or another version of "the next step" that we forget to feel gratitude and peace for our current life and the abundant love we are receiving RIGHT NOW. Too many of us define our joy (or our deluded idea of joy) by what we have accomplished or gained in our current circumstances.
In light of contentment, Chip Ingram states in a recent blog that the most important question you can ask yourself is not what have you achieved or acquired, but who are you becoming? In his words:
“ Becoming, as God defines it, sparks many more questions: What type of person are you? How is your soul growing? Are you kinder and more patient and more loving? Are your relationships deeper? Are you more deeply connected to God? Are you hearing his voice like never before?”
The times when I could answer "yes" to those last five questions are the times when I have experienced true contentment.
I feel that kind of contentment when I can stop long enough to savor today, the moment, right now, the present, all of its gifts and the people God has put in my life at this very moment in time. Not worried about what happens next or what I am going to say or anything else, just enjoying the moment. To me,it is about paying attention to what you are doing, instead of worrying about what you could be doing. Perhaps that is why I enjoy fishing with you so much my dear friend! Because we stop and just savor right now. I love right now! Great post my dear friend. You know how to get people to think. I like it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement Heather. :) Good point on the fishing! We need to do that again. Soon!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post Rachel! One verse that I used to hate used in regards to contentment, but have since come to love absolutely is Matthew 6:33-34. "33. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. 34. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own." It takes a breaking point many times for some of us to fully "get" those verses. I love the blog quote at the end of your post here. I think that if we focus purposefully on those questions asked, we'll be so much happier because we'll know the true peace that Christ brings :) Keep it up missy!
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