Contentment…

Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

What Paul is talking about is being content whether you are living the life of Reilly…and also finding contentment in when you are most certainly NOT living the life of Reilly. I suspect the secret Paul learned was not to focus on the things we think we should have. We live in an age of consumerism – we’ve all seen the craft rooms with every colour of paper, fabric, or paint; seen the comments where people jokingly (and maybe not so jokingly) say they are jealous and that it’s their dream…I have one of those craft rooms – which I am now currently downsizing because I DO NOT NEED to HAVE all that stuff. Paul instead focused on the things he was suppose to be DOING.

We tend to fill the voids in our lives with STUFF. Which at the end of the day has the spiritual equivalent of a bowl of Honeycomb; sure it’s tasty, but you’re ravenous come lunch time.

Ask yourself this…What do you gravitate towards when you feel empty? If it’s something material in nature, do you find true contentment? Or it is a quick fix that like the bowl of sugary cereal fills the hole, but doesn’t give lasting sustenance?

Give Thanks In All Circumstances…

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)

Tall Order that…give thanks in all circumstances…

Giving thanks when your circumstances are good is easy to do…

When your circumstances aren’t so good…you find yourself hard pressed to give thanks.

I understand this; been there…some days I am still there; when things take longer than you want them too, or things aren’t turning out as you had hoped. I know the frustration and confusion.

Yet each circumstance we find ourselves in gives us a unique opportunity to learn something new, to lean in to and to trust the Lord that much more…even if we don’t see where these circumstances will bring us.

The praying without ceasing is also incredibly helpful in hard circumstances. For it will help you endure (won’t necessarily change your circumstances…but it will help you endure).

Returning To Where You Started…

Started going back to church a few weeks ago…

…Surprised?

I have been a Christian for the last 22 years, and my journey has meandered here and there. I don’t make a big show of my faith and that I am a follower of Jesus. I never really know how to explain my faith other than living my life quietly. People have commented on my calm sense in the past, and ask what my secret is…I tell them it’s Jesus. The LORD is my secret weapon in not losing my shit on a daily basis. I will admit that at times I have wandered away, not intentionally mind you, but none the less I have wandered away…and found my way back…back to where I started.

My free will is still intact, I can still choose to pay attention or not. For those who think otherwise…fair enough…you are entitled to your own opinion. Yet, in this line of thought, I highly recommend any of C.S. Lewis’ Christian Apologetics (Yes THAT C.S. Lewis) they are quite good.

The church I attend has a new Pastor, he came to us in January. Nice man, maybe late 40’s, more teacher than preacher…likes the mountains…doesn’t seem too fond of the prairies…makes me think the Lord has something big planned for him since the church he now presides over is a small country church on the edge of the prairies.

The return hasn’t been easy, as much as there is a sense of belonging, there is a sense of detachment, mind you it’s my own fault, stayed away for the last two years. It’s made me feel ill at ease and as a result I am over compensating by over sharing instead of just getting on with the business of getting on with it. Went to a prayer night last night and did the same thing, over share…they listened politely…that polite peppermint tea sort of thing where someone listens without really listening. That sense of being merely tolerated in the space. I am probably overthinking it…I usually am. Yes, even us Christians will overthink things…my head is an exhausting space to be in some days.

Still…it feels good to be back to where I started from…and to get on with the business of getting on with it.