Phil. 4:11 ...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
I was recently watching a television show involving people who lived in expensive, extravagant homes and each had spent in excess of $100,000.00 designing and decorating entertainment rooms within them. I must confess, after watching these people for a while, I found myself thinking, "Why couldn't that be me? Why shouldn't it be? Why couldn't my life be that good, that way?" For the first time during this particular day, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me, by bringing this verse to mind, to be content.
A short time later, as I sat at the kitchen table, I rested my head in my arms. It was one of those brief and passing moments when I was feeling old. Anybody else ever have those? I found myself thinking, "You really are getting old!" For the second time, another gentle reminder to be content.
Within an hour or so of my kitchen experience, I logged on to Twitter and happened across the tweet of an individual who was requesting prayer for their one year old baby who was battling cancer and in need of surgery. This time, I found myself thinking how fortunate and blessed I am with two healthy children. For the third and unquestionably most profound (and sobering) time, a gentle reminder to be content.
Our contentment can be affected by how we look at our situation if we allow it. Are we looking at what we have or only at what we don't? Are we looking at what is truly important or what really isn't? The fact is our situation, our circumstances, our "state" in this life will never be perfect. To us, it will always be somewhere between could be better and could be worse.
Through the course of our lives, we are all in uniquely different places. Whether rich or poor, young or old, healthy or sick, in whatever state we are, we need to learn, as did Paul, to be content in God independent of our circumstances. May the Holy Spirit always be there to give us a gentle reminder.
Sock Monkey Snippet: Be content independent of your circumstances.
2 comments:
Content! That's a word you don't hear too often, but you are SOOOOO right!! Just look at the debt in this country, personal and national and you see no contentment! People and the government wanting more and more and more. Where did people get the idea that they were entitled to live in so much debt? Where did the government get the idea that they could borrow from our grandchildren? So sad!
I think our society is where they get the idea from. But unless and until people know God, unfortunately, I think we can agree that they will never experience true contentment. Sad indeed!
Post a Comment