Joni and Friends Daily Devotional
A Prescription for Contentment
"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." . 2 Corinthians 6:10
The secret of contentment isn't really much of a secret. We know that contentment is all about leaning on Jesus. Of course, we don't automatically "know" the secret of being content; we have to learn it. To learn something means more than saying, "Yeah, I realize Christ is sufficient." To learn means making choices, to practice over and over. If you are to have contentment - that quietness of heart, supernaturally given, that gladly submits to God in all circumstances - then it requires putting into practice what you know.
For instance, when I learned to feed myself years ago in the hospital, many times I felt like giving up. Wearing a bib, smearing applesauce all over my clothes, and having it land more times on my lap than in my mouth was humiliating.
I could have given up, and many people wouldn't have blamed me. But I had to make a series of choices. Was I going to let embarrassment over my food-smeared face dissuade me? Was I going to let disappointing failures overwhelm me? I'm convinced God gave me the strength to lift that spoon to my mouth. Thus I learned how to feed myself, and today I manage a spoon quite well.
Notice I didn't get back the use of my arms or hands. But I did learn to be content. When Christ gives us strength to tackle a painful situation, gaining contentment doesn't mean losing sorrow or saying good-bye to discomfort. You can be "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." You can "have nothing, yet possess everything." First Timothy 6:6 says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." Yet the gain always comes through loss.
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Don't let anyone tell you that contentment comes easily. It has to be learned. And it requires strength from out-of-this-world. But once you gain it, you'll never trade that settled contentedness for anything.
Lord Jesus, teach me to be content in the middle of loss, sorrow, pain, and
discomfort. I want to be a good student and learn well this lesson. Amen
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org
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