Over the past few weeks, I've been making it a point to meet up with friends for lunch. I tend to get so stuck in my day-to-day routine that I simply grab a quick bite in the office or on the run from one errand to another or eat at my desk and work straight through lunch. But, I've been missing out on that wonderful feeling of community that only takes place when you get to "visit" with friends and talk about whatever's on your heart.
So in the past few weeks, I've been making an effort to call or email friends who work nearby and meet me out or swing by my office for a picnic lunch on the patio. And it's been so good.
Refreshing, even.
I realized that in conversations with three different friends, we had all expressed a deep need for contentment. We're all different ages with different struggles and a little bit different life stages—single, married, married with kids on the way. But a lot of our struggles simply boiled down to a lack of contentment.
My single friends want to be married. My married friends want to have babies. My mommy friends wish for more free time like they had when they were single or before they had kids. As various other struggles come up, we wonder what God's doing, if He's listening, if He knows how much we hurt.
And before we know it, we've settled into a place of discontentment. We're not miserable, mind you. We just want something else, something more, something different. Our life hasn't played out like we thought it would. Our expectations haven't been met. And we're convinced that the grass is truly greener on the other side—even though we've been told a thousand times that it's not.
So what do we do? How do we get out of this yucky, stuck place we find ourselves in?
I don't have it all figured out. But I do know that when the same conversation keeps coming up, God's probably trying to teach me something! This is what I'm learning ...
We need to be content.
We need to remember that God truly knows what's best for us.
We need to know and believe and live like God has a plan for our lives and has ultimate control over everything.
One of the best ways I've found to move toward contentment is to practice being thankful. Sometimes it's a daily thing. Sometimes it's a minute-by-minute thing.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV
And as believers, we have so very much to be thankful for ... so much to hope in!
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:9-14, ESV
"Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!"
Matthew 6:8 TLB
Matthew 6:8 TLB
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There was a time when we weren't getting pregnant as quickly as we had in the past. I realized the Lord was teaching me to be content with the children I already had. Maybe it wasn't in his plan for us to have more, and I needed to be content with that. We had 4 kids at that time; when I finally had peace with our family size, the Lord blessed us with twins, and now I am expecting baby #7!
ReplyDeleteIt's becoming easier to be content as I get older (perhaps I'm finally attaining some wisdom!) but there are still times I find myself being discontented. The book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a great book about learning to be grateful. If we can learn to be thankful (grateful) for even the little things (all things come from God), then it is easier to be content.
ReplyDeletepmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
If I were to be completely honest, I think learning to be content is something I'm still learning as I go!! But one of my favorite verses (Jeremiah 29:11) has certainly helped me to come further in my journey to being content! When things don't seem to be going how I would like them to be going, this verse reminds me that it's not my plans, but God's and I should be content with that. (Not 100% sure I explained that well, so I hope it made sense!)
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest thing for me as far as working towards contentment is remembering that every gift is from above and that He will meet our needs even if he doesn't give us all our wants and no matter what, He is enough!
ReplyDeleteI'm learning that contentment and gratitude bring so much joy! I really want my kids to understand how gratitude immediately leads to contentment.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord's been showing me to enjoy every moment of every day. Finding joy and contentment in the small things of life. It's one of the few things we CAN do to enjoy His presence in our lives, knowing He is the giver of our every breath, everyday, every moment.
ReplyDeleteContentment is something that I feel like I've been searching for lately. I've been working on being content and being happy no matter what the situation. It's hard, but I'm working on it everyday.
ReplyDeleteContentment is something that I feel like I've been searching for lately. I've been working on being content and being happy no matter what the situation. It's hard, but I'm working on it everyday.
ReplyDelete