Contentment

Our house could really use some work! We need new windows, the trim needs painting, there is a leak in our roof...oh boy! I could go on and I bet you have a list of woes in your home too! As I consider my home I stop myself from just listing the bad and am more inclined to list everything that I am thankful for about it! So here it goes...

⚫Every window is in tact!
⚫The doors open and close!
⚫We all have a bed and our own space for our belongings.
⚫The gas and electricity are on and functional!
⚫I have food to eat.
⚫There are large beautiful trees growing all around our home.
⚫It is cool on a hot day and warm on a long winters night!
⚫We have clean clothes to wear each day.
⚫We have clean bedding with plenty of blankets and pillows.
⚫I can cook in the house or out on the grill.
⚫There is plenty of space to play, work or just relax

I could go on and on just like I could when I was thinking about everything wrong with our home. I had to change my focus and then I started going on a more positive track! I don't know about you but that was much more enjoyable then a list of woes!

As I studied the Word recently in my notes section it said that contentment is not given as a gift from God but rather He teaches contentment as I allow Him to be ruler of my life. Contentment does not just happen it is learned, as I trust His authority and plan for my life I can accept the way I look, the means He has given us to live within, the family I have, the struggles that have happened, the jobs we have, and yes even our living arrangements.

It went on to talk about stagnation - standing still, not flowing, bad smelling and foul from no movement, sluggish.  If there are areas in my life that dissatisfy and within God's leading they can be changed then I should pursue God's leading! I should never act as God's people in the Old Testament who ventured out to the Promised Land which was a journey that should have NOT lasted 40 years! Their complaining kept them from the very blessing that God wanted to give them.  So, take the dissatisfaction to God and see if He challenges me to do something, being content in the meantime as I work toward His goals.  There is a balance between "I have learned to be content" and "I can do all things through Christ" (Philippians 4:11, 13)

I must trust that God has given me everything I need for this moment in time! I need to be content knowing that is the ultimate acceptance of Christ's leading in my life.