Skip to main content

It ain't easy!

It ain’t easy to be satisfied nowadays.   Even with five TV’s, a closet full of clothes, a man who loves me and three ADORABLE grandchildren, satisfaction does NOT come natural to me.  Wanting?  That comes natural.  Wanting to be thinner, wanting to be loved differently, wanting to have that house, that dress, that car. 

Why is that?  Why do I want what I don’t have?  Why doesn’t WHAT I have make me happy or satisfied?  Did you know that we canNOT make our own contentment?  Nope, we can’t.  Now we can surround ourselves with people and stuff and projects and keep busy.  We can look forward to a good dinner or events to make us happy.  We can go to a counselor or read books or search for truth to help us cope – but we cannot make our own contentment. 

The word, “contentment” as defined in Wikipedia is "enjoyment of whatever may be desired.  Contentment is an intuitive natural concept, and is self sustaining.”  Hmmmm, natural?  Self-sustaining?  I don’t buy that.  I don’t think its “natural” for us to be content.  This world (our stuff) canNOT give us contentment.  Actually, most times it causes dissension or heartache.  Something breaks . . .  someone leaves . . . loved ones make bad choices .

I think the concept of “enjoying what is desired” can be a form of contentment – depending upon what you desire.  Because if you are desiring something unreachable, something disastrous, someone off-bounds, something NOT in God’s will for you – that is NOT going to bring any form of contentment at all.  Satan will try and convince to the contrary- liar! 

God’s Word in Deuteronomy (chapter 6) says:
These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all His decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (My emphasis)

I want to love the Lord, my God with ALL my heart, ALL my soul, and ALL my strength.   To have this be my heart’s true desire is to find contentment.  For you see, it has nothing to do with me.  The emphasis is on a desire for God’s Will, His Way.  Not for anything of this world, or any of my own desires.  To desire what is God-pleasing, what He wants for me goes against everything “natural” out there.  That's why its not easy.   Every morning, I start my day with something like, "Good morning, Jesus Christ, I love you!   You are my God and my King.  I want to love you with my whole heart today - please, help me do that!"

This contentment business, these yearnings we have, is HUGE today.  To want contentment in God alone, to desire it unashamedly, is my prayer for you.  

May my heart see and my desire be, in Christ alone!!  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Right WHERE I wanna be!

Did you ever wonder what life WITHOUT God’s Presence would be like?   I mean, really truly WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE?   In my reading this week (Ezekiel) the exiles are coming home.   They are moving back to their “homeland” and to top it off, God’s Presence has returned.   Wait – what do I mean by God’s Presence returning?   Isn’t He everywhere?    Where did He go if He wasn’t there with them?   That’s a good question !   I have been thinking about that this week and the importance of “God’s Presence” in my life and in OUR lives as Christians. In the Old Testament, God dwelt (on earth) in the tabernacle first and then in His Most Holy Place in the temple that King Solomon built for Him in Jerusalem.   By “dwelling”, I mean He was there to worship and confess to.   He spoke to (and through) prophets.   He accepted sacrifices and worked in tremendous ways for His people.     Jerusalem was captured and the Jews...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Joyces of My Life

Have you ever had someone in your life who truly showed joy, no matter the circumstance?  How about someone who has made a profound influence?  I can honestly say that I have had two, and they both have the name "Joyce" - hence, the title of this post - The Joyces of My Life. First of all, Joyce ( my stepmom) came into my life when she married my dad.  My life was pretty unstable with my mother, but we all made the best of it.  Once I graduated from high school, I moved in with Dad and Joyce. Life happened, I got married, had some kids, you know the drill.   When I think back, there's nothing specific I remember, except  her constant-ability.  She was always there for me.  Period.  When you meet someone who lets you into their heart, bears her own heart and soul, while introducing you to Jesus, your life changes.  At least mine did.  Her love for Jesus and scripture was evident and contagious.  I wanted in - all...
Post a Comment
Read more

May my heart see . . . a blog? What?

My sister suggested years ago for me to start a blog.   “A what?”, I said.   Well, thank you, Cindy, for your suggestion – I think I’m gonna love this !   And I hope you do too.   I want to share what my heart has “seen” and is learning through God’s Word and I want to hear from you too.   The first time I EVER went to Bible study was when my “baby” was in an infant seat.   I remember it vividly.   (He’s 25 now BTW)    My step-mom invited me; she was the leader.   I don’t know if I would have went to a study where I didn’t know A SOUL – maybe.   Anyway, I have been going to a weekly study since then regularly and LOVE IT, absolutely love it! When scripture says “ open the eyes of my heart, Lord” – what do you think that means?   Hearts don’t have eyes, I mean literally they don’t.   My step-mom used to say, “I know it in here (pointing to her brain) but I now know it in HERE (pointing to her heart).   There’s a differ...
5 comments
Read more