Contentment
"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."( Hebrews 13.5) This was part of my devotions four days ago, and I have pondered it ever since. Paul also says in Philippians 4:11, "Not that I speak in respect of want; or I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Contentment. Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines content as,"Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition , or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness."
Do you struggle with being content with yourself, or what you have? Do you find yourself a little envious of others? If I am honest with you, I would have to say I am not always content. I struggle with it. I would have to say honestly, that I would like a different house, a new stove, etc.,but I am learning as Paul says to be content. I find the words "I have learned," in Philippians very comforting. Sometimes, we get the feeling from others that Christians should always be content, and if we are not, there is something spiritually wrong with us. We should be content, that is true, but we can learn to be, and that is most comforting to me. When I fail, and find myself envious, I can go to Christ who forgives me my sin, and helps me along.
The most contented woman I knew was my Grandmother O'Harra, Muzzy, as we called her. She had a very small house with no running water. She had a pump in her kitchen to have water there, and I loved pumping the water! She had a living room, a dining room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. She had electricity and a telephone, but those were her only modern conveniences until my uncle moved her out of that house on 21st Street to an apartment across the street from him, where she had all modern conveniences. You would think she would have been envious of those who had modern necessities, really, especially a bathroom! But she was always happy, always joyful, and always thankful to God for all He had blessed her with. I loved going to her home. In fact, I always used to say that "When I grow up, I want to have a Muzzy house, a house just like hers." I never gave going to the outhouse a second thought, because Muzzy made everything fun. She always encouraged us to read the Bible, go to Sunday school and church, and always love the Lord Jesus for all He had done for us.
In the late 1960s they moved Muzzy to her new apartment. When I was sixteen, I visited with her in her new place. She confided in me that she was struggling with being contented in her new place. Oh, she liked the running water, the bathtub, and the conviences, ,but she missed the daily work it took to live there, pumping water, boiling it for baths, etc. She was nearly 80 when she made this move. Then she taught me how to handle periods when we are not contented. She told me that she had to do a lot more praying, and being in the word of God. Things and people do not bring contentment, but a trusting in the will of God brought it. Being willing to follow the Lord wherever that path took her. Jesus brings contentment, and we can learn it. That comforts me. I may struggle with being contented, but I can learn to be content, and Christ is my teacher.
If, in this beginning of the New Year, you find yourself struggling with this, flee to the Bible and to Christ. He will guide you as you give yourself to Him. He helped me today.
Do you struggle with being content with yourself, or what you have? Do you find yourself a little envious of others? If I am honest with you, I would have to say I am not always content. I struggle with it. I would have to say honestly, that I would like a different house, a new stove, etc.,but I am learning as Paul says to be content. I find the words "I have learned," in Philippians very comforting. Sometimes, we get the feeling from others that Christians should always be content, and if we are not, there is something spiritually wrong with us. We should be content, that is true, but we can learn to be, and that is most comforting to me. When I fail, and find myself envious, I can go to Christ who forgives me my sin, and helps me along.
The most contented woman I knew was my Grandmother O'Harra, Muzzy, as we called her. She had a very small house with no running water. She had a pump in her kitchen to have water there, and I loved pumping the water! She had a living room, a dining room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. She had electricity and a telephone, but those were her only modern conveniences until my uncle moved her out of that house on 21st Street to an apartment across the street from him, where she had all modern conveniences. You would think she would have been envious of those who had modern necessities, really, especially a bathroom! But she was always happy, always joyful, and always thankful to God for all He had blessed her with. I loved going to her home. In fact, I always used to say that "When I grow up, I want to have a Muzzy house, a house just like hers." I never gave going to the outhouse a second thought, because Muzzy made everything fun. She always encouraged us to read the Bible, go to Sunday school and church, and always love the Lord Jesus for all He had done for us.
In the late 1960s they moved Muzzy to her new apartment. When I was sixteen, I visited with her in her new place. She confided in me that she was struggling with being contented in her new place. Oh, she liked the running water, the bathtub, and the conviences, ,but she missed the daily work it took to live there, pumping water, boiling it for baths, etc. She was nearly 80 when she made this move. Then she taught me how to handle periods when we are not contented. She told me that she had to do a lot more praying, and being in the word of God. Things and people do not bring contentment, but a trusting in the will of God brought it. Being willing to follow the Lord wherever that path took her. Jesus brings contentment, and we can learn it. That comforts me. I may struggle with being contented, but I can learn to be content, and Christ is my teacher.
If, in this beginning of the New Year, you find yourself struggling with this, flee to the Bible and to Christ. He will guide you as you give yourself to Him. He helped me today.
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