I'm Content
July 9
Hanging out with our grandson this week, one of our goals is to learn at least one new word a day. While savoring every bite of a s'more, in a rocking chair by the fire, my husband looked at this young fellow and said, "That is contentment." In his sweet five year old voice he inquired, "What is contentment?"
What a great questions. Webster's defines content as "a state of peaceful happiness."
Nancy Leigh DeMoss wrote, "A contented heart is a thankful heart, it's a trusting heart, it's a surrendered and submissive heart, it's a selfless heart and a God-centered heart focused on God's goodness, His faithfulness, and His love."
In her book Keep a Quiet Heart, Elisabeth Elliot has this to say about the whole matter of complaining (the opposite of being content).
She says: "Everything about which we are tempted to complain may be the very instrument whereby the Potter intends to shape His clay into the image of His Son. The things about which we are tempted to complain may be the very answer to our prayer to be made like Jesus." She lists possible examples…a headache, an insult, a long line at the check out, (you know it doesn't take much to get some of us going) someone's rudeness or failure to say 'thank you,' misunderstanding, disappointment, interruption."
She follows up with this little, but important point. "Wouldn't our children learn godliness if they saw in us the example of contentment instead of complaint, acceptance instead of rebellion, and peace instead of frustration?"
We choose each day whether to be content or not. Yesterday morning I had to put my money where my mouth had been in training up this child. We had an opportunity to go for a swim at a near by pool. We were to be there at 11:00. We had been out on the jet ski and were gathering our things from the dock, when I realized a whole bottle of juice had spilled in my tote bag onto my camera. While trying to remain calm over that, a sweet little voice said, "Mama Boo, I just knocked the light in the lake." Discontentment began to rear its' ugly head. We were going to be late, but we had matters to attend to. Fortunately, I chose contentment and stopped and prayed first giving thanks to God for allowing the obstacles and trusting He had a reason for detaining us. The reason most likely was to be able to teach a lesson on contentment, no matter what the circumstance.
Monday night, while studying 1 Thessalonians 5:18 with a group, we were reminded the verse says to "Give thanks IN all circumstances." Not for all circumstances. Lesson learned.
