What does Contentment look like?

I've had this on my mind for the last few weeks or so, and as I've prayed about it and looked for verses that affirm the idea of contentment, I have been convicted about my own guilt in this. It is so easy to see "flaws" in others, but the same "flaw" tends to be a little more difficult to see it in the mirror.  Umm..there may be a Bible verse that refers to that (emphasis added, obviously, is mine)...

• Matthew 7: 3-5:  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

How often is it that we see the speck in another, but totally ignore the plank in our own eye.  Hmm... the plank seems to be the one that needs most attention, wouldn't you say?  So..this post is my confession and acknowledgement that I'm working on removing the plank from my own eye.

The plank?  Lack of contentment.  Always wanting more, as if God hasn't given me more than too much.

Just a few examples of things that I recognize ...

• Seeing something that I like, and thinking I MUST have it.  Doesn't matter what it is... a ring, a pair of sunglasses, a piece of cookware.  Just because I like it, admire it, whatever, does NOT translate into I MUST HAVE IT!  Sheesh...how much money can I save by remembering that I can admire that dress (or whatever) without buying it.
• Complaining - whether by my words or by my attitude - that someone else has more of anything than I do.  Big flipping deal if my neighbor has a bigger house than I do.  Whoopty do if my coworker went to the East Coast.  La De Da if my sister has a bigger closet that mine.   Am I hungry? No.  Am I homeless?  No.  Am I heaven bound?  Yes.  Did Jesus DIE for me?  Yes.  Really, what else matters? 

The anecdote...

• [Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice!]
• There's a short little word in there that makes a big impact - "always"  So I will rejoice!

• [1 Timothy 4:12  Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith and your purity.]
• In what I say, and in the way I live... I will say kind things, I will not say things that are whining in nature.  I will live in gratitude.  The way I love will follow suit.

• [Ephesians 4:29  Don’t let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.]
• Building others up... I don't believe that my constantly worrying about what others have will allow me the spirit to be able to edify others, but my gratitude will. 

• [Proverbs 15:13  A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.]
• Good golly be joyful!!!  We have SO MUCH to be joyful about!  SO MUCH!!!!  

• [Philippians 2:14 - 15  Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.]
• Paying special attention here:  ...ALL things without complaint or dispute...we are shining as lights of the world!   I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always shining as God's light.  Ouch.

A few verses for you... Food for thought, if you will. 

    

[1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.]

[Matthew 22:37  Jesus replied:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.]

[1 Timothy 6:6-8  Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.]

[Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.]

[Luke 12:15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.]

May 26

Sometimes we are the only path to God that others will see...I will be more mindful of that as I walk through my days...I'll be choosing words and attitudes, smiles and hugs, prayers and affirmation. 

I'll work very hard to NOT choose to use my words to criticize, ridicule or patronize anyone - even if my words are only in my thoughts.  I don't want to say or do anything that would be detrimental to Christ, His love, and His kingdom's work.  I fail with this, but I'm trying.

I want my attitudes towards others - and life in general - to be one of love and acceptance of their humanity, not one that says I'm better than you because I do/don't  ___________________________________ (fill in the blank here...).

My smile needs to be a reflection of the deep gratitude and humility of all that God has given me.  He has given me His son as payment for my sin.  I could never in a brazillion years deserve that.  Period.  And He has chose to bestow many, many, many, many more blessings in my life.

My prayers need to reflect things that will make a difference for His kingdom.  And they need to reflect that He is priority for me.  It's taken me a long time to turn my prayers from my selfish desires to genuinely seeking to be used of Him.  His work THROUGH me...Him using me, not me using Him.

It's a tall order, this Christian walk.  But I'm pretty sure it's do-able.

So let's do it together. :)  You in?

Slowing down

[Psalm 46:10a Be still, and know that I am God.]

Be still, and know that I am God.

If you are like me - and I know most of you are - there's a lot going on...work, class, relationships, church, finals, cleaning, etc. Add to this all the things we do for fun, our phones, iPads, Twitter, Facebook, Pandora, Harry Potter, The Notebook, Pinterest, TV, the internet, and on and on. How on earth can we be still?? Don't get me wrong, I think each of these has a place and a purpose. I suspect, though, that they far too often serve as distractions from our being still.

Why do we find it so difficult to turn all this off, even for just a little while? I think we often exhibit a little bit of 'down time ADD'..no one wants to turn it off, or put it all away. It's too boring. You think you need to be up and doing something... 'cause there's ALWAYS something that needs to be done, right?

Be still, and know that I am God.

Do you really want to be closer to God, or do you want to be closer to Him because it's the right thing to say? Do you really want to find your purpose, or do you think maybe it'll fall in your lap because that's what God wants? Do you really want to strengthen your prayer life, or are you satisfied with "Dear God, thank you for Your blessings. Amen."?

Be still, and know that I am God.

If you REALLY want to be closer to Him, and for Him to guide your steps..if you REALLY want to be a Woman of Faith, a prayer warrior..if you REALLY decide to choose Him...If you REALLY want to know learn to serve Him with all you have...Take the time, MAKE the time to sit down, literally. Turn it off, all of it, for a couple hours. Get your Bible, and read. Romans 12, Proverbs 31, Titus, James, Ruth... Pray, read, and take notes. Talk to Him. Ask Him to work THROUGH you. Devote yourself to this time with Him. Take the time to honor these twin commands to not panic and recognize His sovereignty. Take the time to do what He said..

Be still, and know that I am God

Gotta make a choice

God. We’ve all heard about Him, many of us believe that He exists. Some know Him, or talk to Him, and there are those who wonder about Him. Still others curse Him. You will have to choose Who He is to you.

You will show the world (at least your little part of it) who God is to you, and you will do it every single day. You will do it by your choices.

That little word..choices..keeps coming up, doesn't it? When you were a small child, you learned how to make choices. Did your mom let you pick out what to wear? Did you help choose what to serve for dinner? As you've aged and matured, your choices are far more important, and far more revealing.

You'll see and feel the importance of your choices from here on out. You will choose a career..a car..a friend..a spouse..a home..debt..activities..integrity.. Will you push the envelope a tiny bit further each time you stretch the truth to someone? Will you become accustomed to stretching the truth?

Your choices - big decisions or smaller ones - will reflect your character, morals, standards. If you are a Christian - a follower, a disciple of Christ - those around you will pay attention to the small decisions you make. They'll expect your larger choices to be made in the same way.

Are the choices you made today reflective of Christ? Will someone doubt Him because of the way you reacted to someone? Did you laugh at that man you saw at the grocery store? Did you "share" your work with someone? Did you lie to the waiter at the restaurant to get a discount on your meal?

Someone is watching and listening to you - LOTS of someones are watching and listening to you. Make your choices reflective of Him! See people the way He does!

Today is the first day?

I'm sure we have all heard the saying "Today is the first day of the rest of your life". While that is one of those things that you kinda think "Duh, of course it is! Can't go back and start over!", it is also one of those epiphany moments when you see the proverbial light bulb.

Today, indeed, is the first day of the rest of our lives. Many of us (me included) are making plans for the future, whether it's college to prepare for a career, a boyfriend who may be THE one.. maybe it's an apartment you are looking for to move to after college. Or maybe you've decided to sell your house, and you gotta figure out where to go from here. Maybe it's time to look for another job, instead of the one you've had for a while. Hard decisions, all of them.

But today is also the day that you will choose to live out your faith or not. You will choose - either by doing, or by not doing - to put God in your life, your choices, your attitude. Do you see Him when you look at others... you know, annoying girl in your class..or the instructor who didn't cut you a break...the woman at Walmart who wasn't dressed in a manner that you would be...the driver who cut you off as you were late...the girl who made a rude gesture to you...the student who tried to cheat off your paper...the angry customer who snapped at you... Far, far too often, we choose to make fun of these people, or to bad-mouth them behind their back. It's easy to see something or someone and make fun of it...but I think that often speaks more to our character than whoever is on the receiving end of our jokes.  How many of us watch "reality" television shows, only to laugh out loud at their missteps?   Probably not so much like Jesus, huh?

[John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believed on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.]

Best I can tell from reading the Bible - "the world" meant everyone. EVERYONE. Not just the handsome guys or pretty girls, or the ones successful in business. Not only the wealthy. Not just the classy or kind. Not only the ones who make pretty good life decisions. Not just "us"... but also "them"...including Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Susan Smith, Timothy McVeigh, OJ Simpson....and billions others.

We are ALL sinners. Some of us choose Jesus, some of us do not. But the death of Jesus was for every single, solitary soul that is born on this earth.

I hope today is the first day of the rest of your life that you choose Jesus. Put these into practice today: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. [Galatians 5:22-23]

Your Example to Others

[I Timothy 4:  12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.]

These verses often serve as reminders and encouragement to us...but we also sometimes tend to focus on the "youth" part of this passage, and neglect the rest of it.  

First, a little background..The books of Timothy were not written by him, but rather to him.  The Apostle Paul led Timothy to Christ, and Timothy had accompanied Paul for 15-20 years, traveling, ministering, being discipled, being imprisoned, etc., all in service to God.  At the time of the above verses, though, Timothy was pastor of a church, and Paul was telling him to not let the people of the church look down on him because he was in his 30's - which was YOUNG in Greek culture.   He was telling Timothy to be an example (to his elders, mind you!) in WORD - the manner in which he spoke to people; in CONDUCT - his righteous lifestyle; in LOVE - his selfless service to others; in SPIRIT - his demeanor; in FAITH - faithfulness to God; and in PURITY - most especially sexual purity.

In verse 13, Paul is challenging Timothy to be diligent in his practice of reading the Word.  He is also saying to him that he must challenge others (exhortation) who hear God's word to apply it in their daily lives.

So what's in it for us?  

We don't want others to look down on us, do we?  Of course not.  But sometimes I think that this "don't judge me" attitude is simply the feeling we all have at one time or another - you know...that feeling that says "I got this"!  It's hard for us to admit that we are young, because we are always wanting so much to be older.  I can remember as a child having to throw in that "and a half" to whatever my age was at the time.  5 and a half, 8 and a half 10 and a half... Then when you're in junior high school, you can't wait to get to high school.  Then you can't wait to get out.  Then you want to be 21.  Then what?   Too often, we rush through our lives (we all do), without taking the time to put into practice all the things that we've learned along the way....we are in too much of a hurry to get somewhere, and most of us have no idea exactly where that is.

Take the time to examine - really, deep down, examine - the things listed above...WORD, CONDUCT, LOVE, SPIRIT, FAITH, PURITY.  What example are you being in these areas?  Write them down if you need to.  Talk to God about it.  Are you selflessly serving others?  Are you speaking to others in a manner that is glorifying God?  What about your conduct?  Your faith?  Are you keeping your body (all of it!!!) pure?  We will all fall short on these...and it's not to late to start, or to start over. 

Think about it, pray about it, and put it into practice!  

A little reminder