Whether married or single,...the key to your enjoying this moment deals with your inner contentment....
...
Whether married or single, one must learn that it is Jesus who strengthens you to walk in the most dismal or delightful of circumstances. True contentment is learned. You are not born with it and you cannot buy it at one of Kmart's blue-light specials. Your classroom for learning is your daily life. Every shattered dream or unfulfilled expectation serves as a perfect opportunity to learn contenment. These circumstances are your classroom assignments for learning the mystery of contentment. Learning contentment will require complete dependence upon Jesus, for difficult circumstances without the strength of Jesus can rob you of potential contentment. Do not be deceived into thinking you do not need Jesus' strength to face the good circumstances as well as the bad. When the sun is shining with no clouds in sight, you may assume that you can securely bask in the sunshine without any prospect of rain; however, this full feeling can easily breed a tendency to ignore Jesus. "Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'" (Prov. 30:9a NIV)
Every shattered dream or unfulfilled expectation serves as a perfect opportunity to learn contentment.
Contentment can be hard. I think that gratefulness and contentment go hand in hand. Whenever I notice myself being discontented with things in my life...or starting to whine and gripe about all that is wrong...I try to think of things I am thankful for. It helps if these things are connected, but it doesn't necessarily have to be so.
I hate my job...but I have a job and I love my career
I've buried myself in a mountain of debt...but I have a roof over my head and food in my belly
I don't have a car...but cycling is great exercise and I live in the sunshine state
I miss out on family outings because I'm so far away...but I'm surrounded by great friends
Sometimes the silver lining is very evident...sometimes you have to search for it. If you have trouble finding the silver lining, ask God to show it to you. Lay your burdens at His feet and ask Him to help you through.
If it feels like everything in your life is going wrong, make a list of the things you are grateful for. Do you have friends who love and care for you? Do you have shoes on your feet? Clothes on your back? Food in your belly? Oxygen in your lungs? A roof over your head? Money in your bank account? Is the sun shining? There are so many little things we take for granted.
God has gifted us with life and then with a Savior to cleanse us from our sins. Look for the silver lining next time you feel a dark cloud looming overhead.
No comments:
Post a Comment