Contentment

Contentment is a restful and trustful acceptance, appreciation and enjoyment of God's will, work and provision at each juncture of our journey with Him.

Two weeks ago I heard this sermon about contentment. It's kinda waking me up with all my dissapointment and disatisfying of life... (well, sometimes...). I forget that despite of everything that I complain, God still is good and provide for us. As in Philipians 4:12,13 says, I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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 and hungry whether living in plenty or in want.

Paul learned to be content as God taught him to do so. When we are at the stage of having is chronic discontentment, it will drive our life crazy. What is chronic discontentment can do to us? Let's see what is the definition says ... it is a persistent dissatisfaction, frustation, agitation and impatience about our lot in life.

I am totally in there. Persistent dissatisfaction ... without I realized when I complain about things I am practicing that dissatisfaction of life. I will complain about how small our apartment is for the (will be) 5 of us. I will complain about how no one help me during the hard time when I needed. I will get frustation knowing that I will not get help all the time, like to have a maid or a sitter ( for those who is in Indonesia, I envy you sometimes!). The more I complain the more I get frustrated. It will drag me to a further negative thought and being depressed and starting to get impatience wanted to fast forward my life and see what happen next. Isn't it sad when you can't really enjoy your life?.

Well, after thinking for couple days, I think I starting to realized that I can make my life easier by doing the right things. To have that Chronic discontentment is a symptom of serious spiritual problems. I don't like that. I just wanted to be close to my God and have a satisfying in my life.

Here are the symptom of chronic discontentment just in case you need it to screen yourself :

- Fear and mistrust

- Pride

-Misplaced values and priorities

-Comparisons, greed, jealousy and envy

-Unresolved disappointments and unhealed personal pain

Being content can be learned. If we go to Philippians 4:11-13 --- I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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 of hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Contentment can be developed when we have the right attitude, such as :

- Consistently count our blessings

- Replace grumbling with gratitude

- Deal quickly with disappointments

- Manage dreams and expectations --- make sure they are realistic

- Develop and live in a spirit of worship

- Trust God's love and power

Hebrew 13:5 --- Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, " Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you".

I can just keep going on and on about things that dissatifying in my life. But I choose not to continue put all that list in my life. I wanted to have a freedom of being discontent and starting a new perspective of life. I hope you can do the same too and I will pray that each of us can have the breakthrough in our life being content to what we have.

Have a great day...!!

taken from the sermon at the church of redeemer by pastor Dale O'shields