Contentment Lesson #2

As I mentioned last week, I am reading through a book about contentment, and as I read a chapter a week I also wanted to share with each of you as a way to help me stay focused and accountable!

Chapter Two in "Calm My Anxious Heart" by Linda Dillow is entitled "Content with Circumstances". She has a quote in one of the first sections and it goes like this:

"Two women looked through prison bards. One saw mud, the other saw stars."

The whole point was that we all have positives and negatives with each situation in our lives, but it is how we choose to see them (mud or stars) that makes all the difference in the world. Linda had a great sentence in this section: "God wants you and me to learn to be content in our circumstances, not when they improve."

Her next point is that there are two parts in the process of becoming content: our part and God's part. Our part (which has to come first) is to PRAY instead of worry. She takes this directly from the verse in Philippians 4:6 that says "do not by anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." As she points out, it is so easy to flip flop this verse and worry and fret about something and as a last resort pray and say "God, help me, I can't do this on my own". And she also points out that we need to pray SPECIFICALLY and pray with THANKSGIVING...and praying with thanksgiving can be VERY hard.

What am I thankful for in the midst of my situation? What POSITIVES can I focus on and see the stars rather than the mud?

Next is God's part...and it is in the next verse...Philippians 4:7 says "and the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS in Christ Jesus."

As Linda states: "If we make the choice to pray instead of worry, we will personally experience God's peace...If you or I feel anxious and fearful instead of content, we need to ask ourselves if we've done our part...God says His peace follows our choices."

She has a great idea for the times in my life or yours where you just can't seem to get the anxiety or worry to leave your heart and mind no matter if you pray over and over every 5 minutes! Her suggestion was to get up, find a piece of paper, sit down and write EVERYTHING you are thankful for about that situation/problem and pray over that list and thank Him for each and every item on that list. Never letting the negative thoughts crowd out the positives (even if it is a tiny list!) and allow worry and discontent to creep back in.

The next verse in Philippians (4:8) tells us what to think about instead of worry or negativity: "finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

Focusing on the positives. To learn to control our minds.

The author of the book quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Beware of what you dwell on for that you shall surely become!"

Nothing but our own thoughts determine whether or not we are content! We MUST control our minds and stop negative thoughts!

Linda ends talking about verse 9 in Philippians 4: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

She says that she looks at this verse as combining our part with God's part. As she points out the word "practice" and what comes to mind - repetition. It's not real fun and it is a lot of hard work. And what do we need to practice? Linda points out a few:

• Choosing to give our anxieties to God
• Choosing to pray specifically
• Choosing to be thankful
• Choosing to dwell on the positive

And she didn't say it, but I think the key word is CHOOSING. On of my pet peeves is society today not wanting to claim their own actions - "I didn't deserve that ticket!", "She shouldn't have treated me like that!", "He pulled out in front of me!" etc, etc, etc. And I am not saying that there aren't times when we are not at fault, but so many times we are so selfish and so self focused that we don't want to own up to our own failings. I think one of the top 10 words I use with the kids is some form of the word CHOICE. "It was your choice to not eat your food, Titus. That's why you aren't getting a cookie now." "Damaris, what a great choice to share that toy." I want them to see how their choices effect their life.

BUT...I think I need to take my own advice and choose better attitudes with the kids. Choose a more positive attitude about being at home all day. Choose to be thankful rather than worry. Choose to OBEY God. And God will be with me every step of the way and give me PEACE.

We all need peace in the midst of our circumstances. We all need contentment. As the author pointed out, whether it is just a negative circumstance, or something deeper like working through tragedy, her prayer is "God, don't let my pain be wasted. Use it to conform me to Your image. Use it to teach me how to be content."

So, I need to decide - and some days more frequently than others...am I going to see mud or stars with this season of my life???

So much to think about...