Contentment. A Four Letter Word

I’m generally known for always having a smile on my face and I’m thankful for an optimistic outlook on life as a whole, but the truth is, discontentment is a constant battle. It’s easy to look at life and think “this isn’t what I signed up for” or to want matters to be quite different than they currently are. 

The apostle Paul has always been a favorite of mine for many reasons, but one of the primary reasons is his contentment.  I envy it.

“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 or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

We can see from Philippians 4:12 that contentment has very little to do with our circumstances.  Contentment is learned. In this epistle, Paul is writing from prison, yet he speaks of his contentment in even his current situation. 

Earlier in the same letter, Paul reminds the church at Philippi to “Do everything without grumbling or complaining” (2:14).   When we have moments of “this isn’t what I signed up for”, we can respond in one of two ways.  We can whine and complain, or we can rejoice.

In the short book of Philippians, Paul mentions rejoicing 8 times.  The call of God is that we live with an attitude-a reframe, a primary disposition of rejoicing. 

While our attitudes are often described as grumbling, complaining, and anxious, we are to dwell on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and praiseworthy (4:8). 

Is it our natural inclination to dwell on the things listed above? No, not at all.  In order to dwell on such things, we must pursue mortifying the things that lead to discontentment.

The truth is, God often uses our suffering and discontentment to teach us; to remind us to rely on Him.  In Romans 8:28, Paul doesn’t say that all things are good.  Horrible things are horrible. Instead, our assurance is that God works in and through even horrible things for an everlasting good.

Joy and contentment are not based on our external environment, but our knowledge of the Lord’s goodness even when life doesn’t meet our expectations; freely submitting to and taking pleasure in God’s judgement. 

May we see the good in what God allows and be content in how God chooses to use our lives.

 

Light of the World

Each year as we enter into the Christmas season, I like to spend time pondering the different names of Jesus.  One of my personal favorites that Jesus calls himself is “Light of the World”.

Light is a major theme throughout Scripture-especially contrasting light and darkness.  This contrast is first made in Genesis 1 as God speaks light into existence and therefore separates light from darkness. However, as sin came into the world, mankind has lived in darkness. And that means we stumble around. We can’t see truth; we can’t see beauty.  And the darkness conceals.

Sin has caused us to live in the darkness, but throughout the Old Testament we have this promise of a great light that would come into the world and would push back the darkness.

In the Old Testament we see God using light as a sign of His presence; not only in the temple, but also in the wilderness leading the Israelites.  The people of the Old Testament received only a small taste of the Light which was to come.

For centuries of the Old Testament, we have only small glimpses of this Light. And for 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament, we have silence. No word from God. No cloud. No pillar of fire. No light of God to light the way of His people. And the people fall into despair and hopelessness.  But then we get to the New Testament and light explodes.  Jesus enters the world and changes everything.

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men”. John 1:4

Light reveals what the darkness conceals.  It enables us to see the things we were oblivious to while we were in darkness.  Without Christ, we remain in darkness. Light exposes our hearts. When we pursue Jesus and His light, He uncovers our sin. He is the light of the world.  Whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

Let’s rejoice, for the Light of the World has come and we are forever changed because of Him!

 “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8

Find Rest

Do you ever find yourself weary from just living day to day life in a broken world? Lately there’s been so much going on in my life that I feel like I am never quite able to accomplish everything that is needed.  I’ve felt inadequate, frustrated, and just flat out tired.  (Not to mention SUPER over the political rantings and ridiculousness in our nation.) 

This is what happens when we try to live life on our own; we find ourselves discouraged and exhausted.  When I get to this point, my first response is to basically shut down and block out anything that is not a necessity; survival mode. 

But we were meant to live in community with God and His people; not hiding out in our homes because we “need a break”.  (Side note: Jesus did take time away for Himself to seek the Father, but He didn’t hide from real life.  It’s okay to rest and take refuge in Him.)

God, on the other hand, never sleeps or slumbers.  He does not grow weary.  His strength does not diminish.  He is the inexhaustible God; the fountain that never runs dry.  

In the middle of my most recent “woe is me, life is hard and the world is terrible” phase I was in the middle of working my way through the book of Matthew.  That day in particular, I happened to be in Matthew 11.  

If you’re like me, then you’ve read the chapter many times and have probably quoted for yourself “his yoke is easy and his burden is light”.  We like to remind ourselves of the nice things the Lord offers to us, don’t we?  But how often do we focus on the instructions?  The action steps He calls us to?  

We have a part to play in experiencing the rest Christ has to offer.  Jesus beckons: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 

Come to Him.  Take up His yoke.  Learn from Him.  Find rest. 

God calls us unto Himself.  May we experience more of who He is and find rest.