Contentment

Contentment

My Word for 2018

For the past couple of years, I have felt God giving me a word to focus on during the year. Last year it was 'serve'. This year I kind of figured it would be rest, still, or quiet, but God, as He usually does, surprised me and has different plans for me.

I spent a lot of time praying about my word for the year during the last week of December. In my mind, I just needed a verse to verify which of the words I thought He was telling me, but I was wrong.

One day, during my prayer time, God impressed on my heart that I needed to learn contentment. I argued back that I had learned contentment already, but He showed me that I truly hadn't done so.

After finding my focus word, I needed to find a focus scripture. He led me to Hebrews 13:5a:

 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:

I like to have a coloring page that I can color and hang in my room as a reminder. I looked for one already made in my adult coloring books and on pinterest, but didn't find one. I asked one of my daughters to make me one, but she kept putting it off saying that she wasn't sure she could do it (she does the pictures for our church bulletin every week). I wanted to have my reminder hanging in my room and be able to write this post, so I designed one myself on the computer. In all truth, I started coloring one I designed and learned I wasn't content with it so I designed another--I guess I DO really need to learn to be content!

If you enjoy adult coloring and/or would like a reminder to be content, feel free to save the image below, print it, and color it yourself.

Do you choose a word to focus on for the year? If you do, I would love for you to share what your word is and your plans to focus on it during the year. If not, why don't you? Maybe you have never thought about it before. If that is the case, then maybe you should give it a shot. I have found that when I have a decision to make, I think about my word and scripture and it helps me come to a decision and have peace about that decision.

Contentment

Contentment

Learning contentment is a valuable thing to learn. Scripture calls it a "great gain." Why is that? Well, let's look at scripture to answer that.

 1 Timothy 6:8

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

What more do we need in life besides clothes and food? God promises to provide those things so in all reality, why should we be discontent when our needs are being met?

Hebrews 13:5 

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

God promises to always be with us. If He is with us, will we truly lack something we need? God is all we need!

Many times I get caught up with what the world says we need, or I just want more than what s needed. In those times, I need to remind myself that God is all I need. When I have Him, I am not alone and He promises to feed and clothe me. Who am I to complain at how or when He provides those things? He knows that is best for me; I just need to rest in that fact.

Learning Contentment

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I have to be honest.

I am struggling.

I am struggling with contentment

I have always thought that God puts dreams in our hearts. He speaks to us through dreams we have for our future. However, that, in some ways, contradicts with being content.

If we have dreams, we have plans to achieve those dreams. Yes, I understand that God's plans may be different from ours, but does that mean we sit and do nothing? NO. We must be working towards fulfilling our dreams as much as we are capable. For example, if my dream is to be debt free, then I need to work at paying off debt. I can't just sit and wait for God to fix the situation with a quick fix. Or, if I desire to be a teacher, I need to study and earn my degree.

I think my lack of contentment is coming from things now following the time table I desire for my dreams. I know that if it works out in God's timing, the fulfillment of my dream will be even better, but that still isn't easing my disappointment in the waiting. The slower time table is also causing me to doubt whether or not it truly is a God-given dream. Is it REALLY what He desires for me? Am I still falling prey to the world's desires? Am I just being selfish?

I don't have the answers. I will be studying on contentment and I hope God opens my eyes to this truth. I would appreciate your prayers on the topic. I pray He shows me His true desires for my dreams and shows me how to be content in my current circumstances while not giving up on dreams.

A Sound Heart

Proverbs 14 

 30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

What exactly does "sound" mean? I looked it up in my concordance and saw that it means "content"-contentment is life to the flesh.

God has been dealing with me on the issue of contentment for a time. While i am content for the most part, I do still struggle with it sometimes.

When I am not content with something in my life, it makes me miserable and then it usually affects those around me.

The opposite of contentment is envy. When we focus on what others have, we begin to  experience self-pity and resentment. Neither of those bring glory to God and only drag us down. If we truly look at the blessings God has bestowed on us, we should easily find contentment. Focusing on that will bring glory to God and encouragement to those around us.

10 Responses Against "Concern"

My initial response to those with inappropriate "concern" after a miscarriage.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We know that care and concern were your reasons for writing; however, we were hurt by what was written. It may not have been your intention, but it made one of us feel as if you thought of us as ignorant and naive and belittled our faith. If there was any time we needed encouragement, it would be now. Instead we felt attacked and bullied by the "scare" tactics used. The only way scare tactics are going to work is on uneducated, ignorant, naive people.

Some of the following we have said before, but obviously they need to be reiterated. Some of the statements are information meant to educate. The rest of the statements are truly only our business, but since you are showing concern, we will share them with you.

1. We view children--ALL children--as blessings from the Lord. Whether we have children on this earth with us or in heaven waiting for us, they are all blessings. We are happy with how the Lord has blessed us to this point. If our nine girls is all He has for us, we are content. If He has more planned for us, then we will be content with that as well. We are not out to try to have as many children as possible. We are open to all blessings the Lord has for us. "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

2. We have complete and utter faith that God will provide for us. If He brings us to it, He will bring us through it. He will never give us more than we can handle. "'Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things."' Matthew 6:31-34

3. We believe in allowing our bodies to work as God created them to work. He created a woman's body to "be fruitful and multiply". It is never dangerous to do something within God's will. We do not feel as if Darcy is in any danger and we have peace with what God is doing in our lives. "All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

4. Our sex life is just that--ours. It shouldn't be up for debate with anyone besides Chad, Darcy and God. When comments are made about when we have sex, how often we have sex, or how we should have sex, it is interfering with something that is to remain within the marriage. We don't go around offering "advice" to others on when they should have sex and we expect the same respect for our marriage.

5. Darcy has seen our Naturopathic doctor since discovering she was pregnant to ensure she was taking the supplements she needed. She saw her the day she started spotting and every few days thereafter. Her iron levels were being monitored and taken care of as needed.

6. Darcy did contact a medical professional to see if anything should be done after the miscarriage. She was told that unless she felt ill, the only thing that would be done is to check her iron levels and offer emotional support. Since her iron levels were already being monitored, we declined paying to have the same thing done (we were being wise stewards of our finances). Since your "concern", Darcy spoke with another medical professional who said that a doctor won't do a D&C on a woman who has had a complete miscarriage as she has.

7. Just because a woman has a miscarriage, it does not mean that her body is not capable of carrying a life or that it is a "sign" that she is to stop bearing children. Think of all the families that experienced a miscarriage on their very first pregnancy! What about Michelle Duggar who had a miscarriage after her first child and then went on to bear 18 more children without any problems. Here are some statistics about miscarriage.

• About 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most of them occur in the first 13 weeks, or first trimester.
• For women in their 20s and early 30s, the chance of miscarriage is about 15 percent. At 35 the chance of miscarrying rises to one in four, and at 40 the miscarriage rate is close to one in three.
• Most early pregnancy losses are due to genetics and cannot be prevented. But losing a pregnancy doesn't mean that anything is wrong with a woman's health or that she can't have more children.

8. Just because a woman has a miscarriage, does not mean that "it is absolutely necessary to have a D&C" or she risks infection, get sick or even die.

• [D]octors sometimes offer women a choice of miscarriage treatment. The options are usually to wait for a natural miscarriage, have a D&C, or use medication to bring on the miscarriage bleeding.(emphasis mine)
• 80% to 90% of women with diagnosed miscarriage will miscarry within two to six weeks without complications.
• After a miscarriage, any remaining tissue may be removed by dilation and curettage (D&C). This procedure involves dilating the cervix and gently scraping the tissue from the lining of the uterus. (emphasis mine)

9. Our older girls are NOT raising our younger girls no matter what you may think. Chad and Darcy are the parents and we do not put our children in an authority role (except for Dara who is beginning to learn how to babysit just as I did when I was actually younger than her). Do they help around the house? Sure. It is called training. It is what God has called us as parents to do. We are a family and we act as a family. Christ came to serve, not be served. We are teaching our children the joy of serving others. We don't see how teaching them to be like Christ is a bad thing. "through love serve one another" Galatians 5:13 and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18.

10. People say, "God gave you common sense." We believe scripture when it says,

• "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, "says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."' Isaiah 55:8-9
• "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12
• "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
• "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?. . . Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. . .But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty . . . that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1: 20, 25, 27, 31

Supernatural Selection--The Resolution for Women

"I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born." ~ Jeremiah 1:5

Although God was speaking to Jeremiah in this exact passage, we know that He did the same for us. He chose us! He set us apart for something great before we were even born!

"You are a holy vessel of God, set aside for specific times when the uniqueness you offer can be fully used and valued--"a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master" (2 Timothy 2:21). He has blessed you in Christ "with ever spiritual blessing in the heavens" (Ephesians 1:3), freeing you to engage fully in the life He has called you to lead, in ways He is faithful to reveal to you as you walk closely with Him."

God knew everything that would happen to us in our lifetime. He knew when we would stray and when we would have to suffer the consequences of our poor choices. He knew all of that ahead of time, but that didn't stop Him from choosing us. He loves us regardless. He has a plan for us that is far greater than any plan we could even imagine, and He created us for that specific reason.

"We were each created by God to do our part. And if we fail to do it because we don't think it's valuable enough, great loss will be suffered."

When I read this part, my mind went immediately to the issue of motherhood. How many mothers find work outside of the home because they don't think being a keeper of the home is valuable enough? How many women choose not to have children or only have a couple of children because they feel they would be more valuable in the workforce or a mission field outside the home (because the home, raising children, is a mission field in and of itself!)? We were created for something great and who are we to tell God that what He chose for us to do/be is not valuable?! We will suffer the immense blessings in store for us if we don't do our part, but others may suffer as well.

"Therefore, you can trust that He has planted you right now in the place where you will be the most personally productive. Even if you may not be inherently pleased with the person He's made you to be, even if you may not be abundantly happy with the circumstances you're currently living, you can be sure that God has planted you here with design and intention. He has selected the "soil" where you're presently growing. Every kind of season and weather you experience has had to pass through His fingers before coming into contact with you. It's all been divinely designed to surround you with the conditions that allow your unique gifts and abilities to reach maximum potential. To grow. To yield. To produce."

You are where you are right now because that is where God wants you. You are where you need to be to learn what you need to learn to become the woman God wants you to be. You are experiencing what you are experiencing to help you grow in faith, in trust, and whatever else because God desires you to grow. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, why not give thanks to the One who already has it all figured out? Praise God for what you are learning and look for the woman you were designed to become!

The Balancing Point—The Resolution for Women

“Contentment is the equilibrium between the enjoyment of life now and the anticipation of what is to come. . . It is the faith-filled belief that what God has bestowed now is worthy of gratitude and appreciation, not merely because it is enough but because it is good”.

Finding contentment is definitely a fine balance between ingratitude and incentive. We are called to do our best in all we do and working hard to better ourselves and others shouldn’t be taken as ingratitude, but we also should just sit around and be complacent either. We are called to take steps of faith and that can be done without being ungrateful for what we already have. It all comes down to a matter of the heart.

We don’t give up our dreams and desires just because we learn contentment with what God has already given us. We do, however, come to a place where we realize that what our dreams and desires are might not necessarily be what is best for us. We have to align our goals with what God has in store for us.

When we live satisfied with what God has given us and work toward our goals, we have the best of both worlds. We can take pleasure in what we are already experiencing as well as continuing to dream about what is to come.

This chapter marks the end of the first section of the book. You are asked to sign a resolution to be satisfied and have a spirit of contentment. The author doesn’t take this lightly and suggests taking some time to review what you’ve already read and to pray before making this resolution. It also asks that you do it out loud in front of a witness so that person can hold you accountable. My husband was my witness.

Learning Joy in the Middle of the Night

Last night was not a good night for my youngest. Not only is she dealing with teething and a virus which causes congestion, but we are staying at a friend’s home so bedtime routine was different, she slept in a different crib, and all of us were in the same room. She was up multiple times and most of the time that she did sleep, it was only because I was holding her. I think I got a total of 3 ½ hours of sleep.

At around 2:45 a.m. I was talking with God about the situation. I was exhausted and I was afraid of her waking everyone else in the house. I was blunt with God and told Him that I was trying to find contentment in the current situation, but I was having a hard time doing so. How stupid I was. He immediately reminded me of my friend who miscarried last week, of my friend who may have been miscarrying as I was whining, of my many friends who have experienced miscarriages before, of mothers who have empty arms due to still births, giving their children up for adoption, or heaven forbid, kidnapping. I was instantly humbled.

I began praising God that I had Tissa in my arms, that I was well enough to be able to hold her, comfort her, and pace the room with her. I thanked Him for herbs to ease her teething pain and clear congestion. I praised Him for the fact that the other girls didn’t wake up.

I also took the time to pray for my friends. I prayed for comfort for my friend who miscarried last week. I prayed for peace about His plans for my friend who is worried that she might be in the process of her fourth miscarriage. I prayed for my friends who have experienced miscarriage and/or still births before. I prayed not only for those mothers whose hearts may ached because they gave their children up for adoption, but also for those children that they may find homes where they would have a mother to love them, hold them, comfort them, and pace the room in the middle of the night with them.

I’m still on my journey of learning contentment and joy, but I am so glad I am not on this journey alone. The Lord is constantly by my side and as I learn to praise Him in all things, it becomes easier and I pray eventually it because a way of life. It is amazing how much I am learning about myself since committing to this journey. The Lord is truly opening my eyes to a number of aspects of my life that need changing and those changes are coming easier and easier as I become a more joyful, Christ-filled woman.

I encourage all of you to start on a journey to contentment and joy if you haven’t already started. I highly recommend One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp to get you started on that journey. Making your own list of one thousand gifts is humbling as well. I have shared some of the things on my list before, but I’ll share some more with you because it is always uplifting to me to hear/see others praising God for what He is doing in their lives.

Overflowing Blessings--Resolution for Women

"Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measure back to you." ~ Luke 6:38

When we think we have nothing to give, we need to resolve to be content where we are and figure out how we are going to get out of bed for the fifth time with a child who keeps getting up, or how we can help the neighbor who just had surgery, or how we can help the family that is in need. God will bless us for our faithfulness to give when He calls us to give. When we resolve to be content "Then look toward heaven with holy anticipation, and sit with your long skirt gathered up in folds and draped loosely across your lap, prepared to catch the overflow in the welcome pockets of room you've created."

Reading this chapter reminded me of a time where this was played out in my life. A friend needed some canning jars. I had some I wasn't using that year so I gave her a couple dozen. She didn't want to take them because she figured I would need them the next year. I told her I would let God worry about that. The very next day I received a phone call from my uncle wanting to know if I could use some canning jars. He had six boxes for me! A few years later I even got back the ones I gave to my friend because they were moving and didn't have room for all the jars.

Another story also came to mind. It is found in 1 Kings 17:8-16. A widow only had enough food to feed her and her son one more meal of flat bread. She gave some to the prophet Elijah whom God had sent to her. Because of her faithfulness, her flour and oil didn't run out until God sent rain. Verse 15 tells us it was "many days"; however, if you read before and after that story, you'll learn that there wasn't rain for 3 1/2 years. Now Elijah didn't go to her at the beginning of that time, but even if ti was halfway through, that still means that her food lasted for 455!  Talk a bout God's abundant blessings!

When we are content with what we have, we are more willing to give to others. Learn contentment and receive God's overflowing blessings!

The Secret—Chapter 2 of The Resolution for Women

Shirer uses a clear analogy of how we have been deceived on the true definition of happiness.  We used to be taught that happiness came from being content, but just like the game of telephone, that message has been twisted and distorted into the idea that happiness comes from having something bigger, better, faster, prettier, etc. We are attacked with advertisements that tell us that we need the next “new” thing. We are told that if we don’t have a college education that we will never make something of ourselves. We are told that if we don’t buy our children everything they want, that we are bad parents. We are told that we need to look like models if we want to be pretty.

If we truly want to know how to be happy, we need to learn to be content. The apostle Paul said it well when he said, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” (Philippians 4:11) He had to learn to be content. It wasn’t something that came naturally, but it is something that is possible. “Contentment . . . was a skill he had chosen and adopted, then had mastered and applied to his tumultuous life experience.” He had to resolve to be content and work at it. He discovered satisfaction in a life with God instead of a life with stuff. 

“When you’ve concluded that what you already have on hand is enough, that it’s adequate—that its been deemed by God as sufficient—then you’re equipped and empowered to participate fully in the tasks set before you during this season in life.” Wow! What an eye-opening statement. When we think we don’t have what it takes to do what God called us to do, then maybe we should either evaluate if we are trying to do something God didn’t call us to do or that we aren’t recognizing what He has truly given us. We also need to realize, “if you don’t have it—whatever it is—it’s because you don’t need it.”

This chapter has gone along nicely with my quest for joy. I need to not only realize that I already have everything I am supposed to have at this point in my life, but that I need to learn contentment with that and focus on what God wants me to do right now and not when whatever happens. I need to focus on blessing people now no matter if I have a little or a lot. I need to focus on giving of myself instead of wishing I had something to give. I need to focus on why God is allowing certain things to happen in my life and be content with the lessons being learned from them.

I think I have truly learned the secret to life—contentment in whatever state you are in. I have heard it multiply times before, but it has finally been beaten into my head enough that I finally “get it”. I don’t need to worry about what others have that I don’t. I don’t need to worry about what they think about how I am living my life. God allows things in my life for a purpose and as long as I am fulfilling the purpose He has for me, then it doesn’t matter what they think.

My joy comes from the Lord and not from things or from man. “For the joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Every Bite Counts—The Resolution for Women

I have started reading The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer. It is based on the movie, Courageous. Right from the first chapter, I felt convicted.

by rushing through life, I’d been subtly devaluing those around me and the experiences I was involved in, not appreciating the importance and significance they bring to my life at this very moment, not grasping my responsibility for holding dear and treating well these gifts God has entrusted to me.

Ouch! This hit me right at the core. How often have I thought “if only . . .” I am extremely guilty of not valuing those around me, my experiences, or even how God is working in my life. I need to slow down and be more purposeful in all that I do and experience. I need to relish in everything God gives me. I need to learn to be content!

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-8

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” ~ Hebrews 13:5a

Some scriptures that came to mind after reading this chapter. Some are scriptures I memorized years ago, some are ones the girls and I have worked on this school year and some are ones I have read recently in my personal time with God.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” ~Philippians 4:4

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” ~Philippians 4:6 (emphasis mine)

“. . .for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” ~Philippians 4:11

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” ~James 1:2-4

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18