The Thing About Contentment

My husband and I live a relatively normal life. Except for that fact that if you visit our home you may hear someone singing mariachi, playing Tchaikovsky, riding skateboards, dancing to old school music or playing volleyball without a net.  Except for that, we are pretty normal!

We buy what we need and sometimes what we want.  Kids are expensive! We have cars that are about 10 years old. and we plan on driving them until the wheels fall off! In other words, not too much longer. Ha!

We absolutely refuse to pay $300 for a pair of shoes for our children because we just refuse! In addition to that, their feet grow too fast and they don’t have jobs!

So…normal.

My husband and I recently went to dinner at a “swanky” hotel.  We have such great times when we go out sans kiddos! (They don’t read my blog so don’t tell them I said that!) 

We decided to meet friends for a fun night out.  As we entered the parking lot of the luxury of the luxuries of vehicles, we valet our normal car. Proudly I must add because I am not walking across the street in heels. Ummmkay! We sometimes ask jokingly "Why don't you park our car in the front with the other expensive cars?"  They stare and stumble, not really saying anything. We laugh and enjoy our evening.

I told my husband “Lots of people are wealthier than we are!” He lovingly said “I disagree. We are rich. We have a great family."

I completely agree! We do. But we would look even better in that $80K SUV! Just sayin...

It made me begin to wonder about contentment. Are we really satisfied with who we are, what we have, and where we are going?  It’s tough to find someone who is truly satisfied with their situation in life.

When do you know you are fine?

When is enough, enough?

One more decimal over in my account.

One more car.

One more computer.

One more house.

One more outfit.

One more pair of shoes.

One more boat.

One more.

Look at this!

Beautiful!

 And this!

I can definitely enjoy this!

We are inundated with the images of “My life is better than yours, My body is skinnier than yours. My home is bigger than yours. Your life can be this way if you have what I have and look the way I look."

We are falling for it too!

We are in debt to the amount of approximately $16,000 per household and still not satisfied.

"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:32-33

So many of us are frustrated, depressed, angry and resentful because we are not content. We inherit so much pressure and stress. We are not satisfied with things as they are. We have adopted an unhealthy world view of "enough."

When do you have enough? When will you be satisfied?

What if where you are is your normal?

Will you still seek first His kingdom?

Will you be like Paul and understand the secret in not complaining?

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13

The thing about contentment is that we easily abandon it as we pursue the goals of the a particular zip code, Hollywood, or Silicone Valley. We have given over our fullness of joy in contentment with Christ to the unquenchable thirst and insatiable hunger for that which is temporary.

This is all so easy for me to type. But remembering it as I navigate my way through constant images of excess is far different! A great remodel episode on a home channel or the right pin on Pinterest can send me into a struggle.  Seriously! :)

What is your thing about contentment?


Blessings!


"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." I Timothy 6:6-11


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Keep Going!

All of us have a desire to be seen at our best.  We have a face that we prepare daily. We wake up and outfit ourselves with smiles and pleasantries in hopes of disguising our pain and the reality of our current self. But deep inside we say:

If only they knew.

My struggle. 

My heart. 

My thoughts.

That I cry at night.

I wonder.

I question.

I’m uncertain.

I’m scared.

I worry.

If only they knew.

So we sit quietly

Waiting. Not letting anyone in.

What would happen if they knew about our gaping wound that bleeds throughout our day? It presents itself in the form of: Impatience. Anger. Sadness. Fear. Frustration. Fatigue.

Friend, you are not alone. Most of us are where you are. We are hiding. Hoping that tomorrow will be different. Praying that our situations will change.

There are so many of us that are going through difficult seasons. I am overwhelmed by how much is happening each day in our world.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

There is HOPE!

Jesus knows. He is not surprised. He knew when He created you that this season would come.

This is not the part where I say share this post with ten people and in ten days your prayer will be answered.  I will not list seven steps to freedom from worry, frustration, sadness, etc.

Sometimes we don’t need a complex answer. We don't need to share, click, or type "Amen." We need hope!

Here it is!

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:2-5 

 I just want to encourage you to keep going. He will answer.  I don’t know how. I don’t know when. I don’t know what will happen when He shows up but He will.

You will know it when He comes because God’s presence ALWAYS produces evidence.

So no magic.

No steps.

Just wonderful assurance and hope.

You are not alone. He’s there.

He will answer.

Keep going.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” I Peter 5:10

Blessings!


Copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All Rights Reserved