Findng Contentment

 

December 16, 2014

 

Finding Contentment

Daily Thought: "I can find contentment in any circumstance"

Daily Reading: Philippians 4:10-13

 

I am not one for watching a lot of television. I enjoy movies when I have the time, but with kids, schedules and the various demands of life- I simply cannot commit to watching anything long term. Something I have recently come across and enjoy, however, is a new show called "Tiny House Hunters".

 

"Going Tiny" is a growing trend. People are ditching huge, luxurious homes left and right to downsize into small, manageable ones. Why? The reasons vary- but a lot of it tends to be financially motivated. Soaring housing, heating and living costs are forcing many to reconsider "normal" and these individuals are learning to find contentment with much less.

 

We sometimes have a tendency to base our happiness and joy on temporary circumstances and things. Things like relationships, possessions, power, position or prestige are nice- but we must remember that they are temporary. Instead, we can find a true and lasting joy through our faith and relationship with God that will never end.

 

The Apostle Paul's life is a testament to this fact. Paul in his lifetime experienced great power and wealth, extreme poverty, persecution, and at the time when he wrote this letter of praise and joy- he was imprisoned. Paul writes of how he has found joy even when he was experiencing pain from having not eaten in some time. If you have ever experienced it-you know how powerful hunger pain can be. Yet through it Paul was unshaken; praising God. What an incredible testament of faith!

 

How is this possible? How do you find contentment when everything around you isn't going as planned? When the bills are piling up and there seems to be no great or easy fix to your problem? Paul tells us that we must put our worries aside. Worrying has never solved a problem- in fact it usually creates more. Then, we must pray about everything. Paul says to "tell God everything that we need" and to "thank God for all that he has done". This teaches us to trust God and to keep all of the "good things" in our lives in perspective.  These are the keys to living through the tough times and appreciating the good ones.

 

Prayer: Lord God, I am learning to trust in your purpose and direction in my life. Make yourself known to me in times of trouble, and help me to keep my focus on the gifts that you have given me. Amen.