by Betty, a friend in Virginia, who gave me permission to include this article in "Heart to Heart." Betty told me, " It it helps someone else in their walk with the Lord, then to Him be the praise. My prayer is that others would find peace and contentment in the Person of Christ."
If you have seen my status updates over the last week, you may have noticed a trend relating to Trials. I have always been one that can pretty well accept the big, out-of-control trials such as the tragic ordeal Mom endured as she was physically and mentally violated, or the death of a loved one. But for all of my life, I have struggled with the little, ankle-biting, day-to-day trials that are sent my way. Give me the Rottweiler, just don't sic the Chihuahua on me! In the last week, my daughter caught the flu; my back decided to “go out” (and not take me with it!); my son's truck broke down requiring many, many dollars to fix; the dryer quit; I worked on our taxes only to learn that we will have to pay thousands (yes, there is an “s” on that!) more on April 18th; in the midst of all of this, we moved my mother-in-law from the retirement community she had been living in for the last year back into her own house. When I opened my email this morning, there was a message from my husband telling me that he found my pocketbook in the van when he got to work this morning. I will be without it all day. (Ladies, I know you understand how lost you feel when you don’t have your purse!)
If you have seen my status updates over the last week, you may have noticed a trend relating to Trials. I have always been one that can pretty well accept the big, out-of-control trials such as the tragic ordeal Mom endured as she was physically and mentally violated, or the death of a loved one. But for all of my life, I have struggled with the little, ankle-biting, day-to-day trials that are sent my way. Give me the Rottweiler, just don't sic the Chihuahua on me! In the last week, my daughter caught the flu; my back decided to “go out” (and not take me with it!); my son's truck broke down requiring many, many dollars to fix; the dryer quit; I worked on our taxes only to learn that we will have to pay thousands (yes, there is an “s” on that!) more on April 18th; in the midst of all of this, we moved my mother-in-law from the retirement community she had been living in for the last year back into her own house. When I opened my email this morning, there was a message from my husband telling me that he found my pocketbook in the van when he got to work this morning. I will be without it all day. (Ladies, I know you understand how lost you feel when you don’t have your purse!)
I could be very tempted to be discouraged by this list of difficulties/annoyances/irritations or whatever you want to call them. However, last night I was reminded in a book that I am reading that “Contentment is a state of the heart, not a state of affairs.” I have to ask myself, will I choose to dwell on all the blessings that God has so richly poured out on me? Do I really believe that He is working out all things for my good and His glory? Are His mercies never ceasing? Will I trust Him in the day-to-day difficulties?
I have to say a resounding “Yes”!!! Not because I am able to do this in my own strength - I have none. I am puny, negative and prone to grumbling. But in Philippians 4, Paul talks about “learning” to be content. It doesn’t come naturally; it has to be learned. So how do I “learn” to be content? Obviously, I will not learn much if everything is going smoothly. The trials that are sent from my loving Heavenly Father are designed to teach me contentment. Paul follows up his statement about learning to be content with a verse that we often take out of context. When read in context, what an encouragement it is - “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” In His strength, I CAN be content despite a forgotten pocketbook or a broken dryer.
Practically, what does that look like? Well, by dwelling on the promises and blessings that have been given me I see how there are new mercies everyday.
- I am making a list of all the blessings of the last week. They far outnumber the difficulties. It is good to have something in writing to look at and remind myself how God has been faithful in the big and small circumstances of my life.
- I am making a list of verses that encourage me to “press on” to the end. Verses like II Cor. 4: 17-18 “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” If I thought this life was all there was, I would be in despair. But it is not! And somehow these trials are preparing me for heaven.
- I am speaking truth to myself rather than listening to the litany of discouraging thoughts that want to take over in my head. In his book, The Cross Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney says, “ On a daily basis we’re faced with two simple choices. We can either listen to ourselves and our constantly changing feelings about our circumstances, or we can talk to ourselves about the unchanging truth of who God is and what He’s accomplished for us at the cross…Is it any wonder we’re so often unhappy? We’re listening to ourselves. We need to start talking to ourselves instead.”
- And finally, I am examining my heart to see where I have been putting my trust. For example as I think about the amount of shekels we will have to give the IRS, I am considering my own attitudes about money. Is my security in having a comfortable emergency fund saved or is my security in the One Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills AND the hills! When I do not respond to trials with the fruit of the Spirit, then I need to see what is going on with my heart. I need to be thankful for the wake-up call on some heart issues.
Today I can truthfully say that I am content with my present circumstances and I am not afraid of what new trials may be in store. When I hear myself say this, I am amazed. This is all of God’s grace - I cannot do it in myself. To Him be the praise!
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