Its’ Ok To Be Content

I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13 NET

Life is different now, a pandemic, its global, the past several weeks have redefined anything we knew prior, and the next several months will usher in a new normal.. when we were talking about this season recently we found we are all learning in a time of turmoil, across our country, and across hundreds of other nations. We are being told to social-distance, and some even to self-isolate.  Maybe there would be less anxiety if we taught “Let’s be ok with embracing the quiet, the pause, the interruption to our daily schedules of too much to do, not enough hours in the day” maybe Jesus is asking us to give Him certain pieces of our lives, to step back, simplify... its not always necessary to go to 2 different grocery stores in a day for the perfect head of lettuce.  Pay attention to the quiet, steady urgings of Holy Spirit and His urge to have us offer prayer to those around us. It’s easy to focus on so many other things in our immediate circumference when in a turmoil of to do lists, social commitments (now online) – take a deep breath, being aware of God’s hurting people that we pass by or interact with while running essential errands can make all the difference in our day and theirs, simple interactions that are blessings. 

So many of us are restless, searching for something of value in our lives and not finding it. Many others are unable to handle even the smallest afflictions and inconveniences without verbalizing our complaints. Still others live such discontent lives that we are never asked by any similarly discontent unbeliever to give a reason for the hope that we have. We evidently don’t have nor display much hope.

What makes this all the more amazing is that, for over two and a half centuries, developments in science, industry, the economy, and medicine have steadily and systematically reduced the physical miseries common to every preceding generation of humanity. Yet despite all of these advancements, we are more discontent than ever. Is part of the answer to simplify? Is it to remove stuff from our homes that get daily use only because we have to spend hours moving them, organizing them with routine housework? Id rather be sitting in the sun reading God’s work, His Bible. 

Maybe a piece in our present-day discontentment is that we are more aware of the general suffering of the human race than ever before. Our smartphones link us to news apps that keep us up to date on major occurrences around the world, pouring a steady stream of human suffering into our consciousness.  Again, pause, breath, clear your schedule of anything not absolutely necessary. With Holy Spirit walking beside us in this pulsating, seething world of restless unhappiness we will find the opportunity to rediscover the rare jewel of abiding with Jesus, He can pour Christian contentment into us if we make room for Him — So important is the dwelling in contentment that apostle Paul declared in Philippians 4:12: the verse we first met with today....“In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content.” 

Lets begin, and continue, cultivating a relationship with God through prayer. Carving out that time to listen for God’s guidance is super important. It was important yesterday, It matters today when we are saying goodnight to a loved one, and it matters tomorrow because that day is never promised. When the stakes are high, emotions are running high, and everyone really wants God to supply the answers to the days ahead, intentionally listening for God and experiencing God’s deep peace and love is so needed. {tweetme}When we carry that light received so freely from our Lord we can pour it over our households, social groups, neighbourhoods. {/tweetme}We are all community together, for better or for worse. Even in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, God is with us and is active. Praise be to God!

For us this recent season of “quiet” has been a reminder to get on our knees before God and thank Him for providing.... don’t get me wrong, having less does not demand living without furniture or electricity.... it does not demand giving away everything we own at once, or at all. It is about having space in a room for God to fill...it is quality over quantity..... When we accept God’s grace of less, which fill us overabundantly, we will see the most amazing thing starting to happen. We begin to learn what is truly essential and what isn't, and with each nonessential thing we let go of, our hearts grow calmer, quieter, more open, and more joyful. Our souls grow lighter. Our relationships grow deeper. And each and every time God pries our hands off of the things we cling to, He fills them anew with more of Himself.

Our goal should be to find simplicity—not only because of its deep roots in Scripture, but because we want to find Jesus in the every day.  It turns out that God created and formed each of us for lives of generous simplicity; we only need to invite Him in to help us make sense of our mess. Over time, the question for us changed from “How can we survive?” to “How can we let God arrange our lives, so we become the kind of people God created us to be?” 

As the Gospel of Luke tells us our possessions can never give us life...