I do. contentment.
I know that God is teaching me something very important when I see it, hear it and read it EVERYWHERE I turn. At this *exact time* in my life I know that God is teaching me contentment. He is enough when circumstances are funky. He is enough when life isn't so pretty. He is enough when I don't get my way. He is enough. Period.
But what is contentment. Really? I looked through a few online dictionaries and pulled up these definitions: happiness, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, delight, enjoyment, gladness... and OOH OOH this one - ease of mind!
Contentment is never allowing myself to complain about anything- not even the weather. Never picturing myself in any other circumstances or someplace else. (ouch.) Never comparing my lot with another's. Never allowing myself to wish this or that had been otherwise. Never dwelling on tomorrow- remembering that tomorrow is God's not mine.
Am I content?
I remember almost audibly asking myself this last week. We were listening to a song riding down the road. I don't know who was singing, where we were going, what station we were listening to and I don't think I have ever heard the song before. But the words to the chorus hit home. "Jesus is enough." See the song had interrupted my mind wandering through life and circumstances. Through my concerns and -yes- my complaints.
Then yesterday during the sermon of a church we shared with in the Sunday School hour... a sermon on Jesus, Mighty God and -ta da- contentment. This verse that struck home (Oh, how I LOVE His Word!!):
"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received!"
2 Peter 1:3 The Message
Knowing Him personally is enough. And these things and circumstances that seem to take over my brain are just that. Things. And circumstances. He is enough. Enough to bring me happiness, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, delight, enjoyment, gladness... and ease of mind! He is enough to keep me from complaining. He is enough to keep me from wishing my circumstances were different. He is enough to keep me from wishing I was somewhere else. He is enough to keep me from comparing myself with others circumstances. He is enough to keep me from wishing this or that had been otherwise. He is enough to keep me from dwelling on tomorrow.
And the final affirmation? It's the verb tense in 2 Peter... HAS BEEN. Yup. That's right!! He has completed the work. He has already miraculously given me what I need for contentment. It is simply up to me to choose it or not. And I do. I choose Him. He is enough. Contentment is Jesus.
But what is contentment. Really? I looked through a few online dictionaries and pulled up these definitions: happiness, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, delight, enjoyment, gladness... and OOH OOH this one - ease of mind!
Contentment is never allowing myself to complain about anything- not even the weather. Never picturing myself in any other circumstances or someplace else. (ouch.) Never comparing my lot with another's. Never allowing myself to wish this or that had been otherwise. Never dwelling on tomorrow- remembering that tomorrow is God's not mine.
Am I content?
I remember almost audibly asking myself this last week. We were listening to a song riding down the road. I don't know who was singing, where we were going, what station we were listening to and I don't think I have ever heard the song before. But the words to the chorus hit home. "Jesus is enough." See the song had interrupted my mind wandering through life and circumstances. Through my concerns and -yes- my complaints.
Then yesterday during the sermon of a church we shared with in the Sunday School hour... a sermon on Jesus, Mighty God and -ta da- contentment. This verse that struck home (Oh, how I LOVE His Word!!):
"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received!"
2 Peter 1:3 The Message
Knowing Him personally is enough. And these things and circumstances that seem to take over my brain are just that. Things. And circumstances. He is enough. Enough to bring me happiness, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, delight, enjoyment, gladness... and ease of mind! He is enough to keep me from complaining. He is enough to keep me from wishing my circumstances were different. He is enough to keep me from wishing I was somewhere else. He is enough to keep me from comparing myself with others circumstances. He is enough to keep me from wishing this or that had been otherwise. He is enough to keep me from dwelling on tomorrow.
And the final affirmation? It's the verb tense in 2 Peter... HAS BEEN. Yup. That's right!! He has completed the work. He has already miraculously given me what I need for contentment. It is simply up to me to choose it or not. And I do. I choose Him. He is enough. Contentment is Jesus.
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