So, today, I'm driving in to work and stewing over various matters. Nothing of eternal importance, mind you, but just thinking about various things going on in my life. Things I have to do, things I want to do, mistakes I have made.
Even dwelling on silly stuff like when I retire, do I want to go completely gray and quit coloring my hair? Think of the money I'd save!
I thought of this fun quote:
"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like" Author Unknown
You're probably thinking, "I thought this post was about contentment."
Don't worry, I'm getting there.
It occurred to me I was using my driving time for carnal thinking instead of utilizing my time for praising and praying. My day always goes better when I do.
It's crazy, but here I am, after walking with Christ for forty-six years and spending every day of my life in ministry, and I still get sucked into thinking carnally.
Maybe I get in the flesh more often than others, but I do know how to get out of it.
Change my focus.
I forgot to put on my spiritual armor this morning and part of that armor is the helmet of salvation. A saved mind does not have to dwell on the thoughts the enemy puts out there. Thoughts of not being enough. Thoughts of all the bad that COULD happen.
Instead, a saved mind should be dwelling on the Savior. The one you can trust with your life and you can believe totally He has your best interest in mind.
Yes, aggravating things happen. That is a given. However, if you truly believe the Word and trust in Him, you know that He takes every single thing that happens, the good and the bad, and weaves them together in your life to create a work of art in you.
The secret of contentment is truly believing He has your best interest in mind and that He is powerful enough to make it happen.
I'm thinking I'd like to change the wording of that quote:
"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you realize He gives you what you need."
I'm linking this post up at The Loft. Our topic this week is contentment. Please share what you've learned about contentment with us! You can link up your post here.
I'm also linking this post up at the Grace and Truth community of Christian Bloggers. You can read great content from some awesome bloggers, or link up your own post, at any of these great sites:
Good words, Jerralee, for contentment. Discontent isn't in God will for us. Our minds play tricks - we believe what is not the truth or something else not real. I have always said, "High expectations greet reality equals disillusionment!" Our minds can be used by God or we can leave the door open. That's why we need that helment. Thanks for reminder.
ReplyDeleteA good reminder for every morning!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your journey from faithless pondering to godly thinking. We need to see how this works in real life. The discontented and worried thoughts come, but we can refuse them as you did. I'm always encouraged when I visit your place!
ReplyDeleteFocus...focus...FOCUS! Yes, changing that to be centered on the Lord is what I need to do far more often than I even remember. Thanks for this great example and reminder. Glad you are my neighbor at The Loft.
ReplyDeletewise words
ReplyDeleteI think it is so easy to think carnal or of the world; we get bombarded with it all around us. It is great like you mentioned to change our focus to Who really matters with our Lord :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Wow, I know God just spoke through you to me about something I seriously needed to hear, both to calm my thoughts and to strengthen my faith and give me some realizations. About the past 5 minutes before I visited your post, I was absent-mindedly having some time on the internet that didn't require a lot of thought, like checking emails and things like that... so my mind started to wander and I thought of something that is so trivial. I started dwelling on something I told someone in an email about 5 years ago and how I may have shared too much about myself with what I wrote in that email that day and worried what that person thought of me because of it. It was something I said that I feel probably sounded dumb to that person and someone I lost touch with afterward. I know that sounds so small and kind of strange to be thinking about after so long, but reading your words really brought me out of worrying about something ridiculous to realizing that my focus is off during times when I am thinking of things like that... things that don't focus on the Lord and what TRULY matters.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jerralea!
And wow, these words could not hold more wisdom and truth:
"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you realize He gives you what you need."
Have a wonderful evening!
Blessings and hugs!
Jazzmin ♥
What a marvelous post! God is so faithful to give us what we need, even when we are not seeking it. His heart is for us and His love covers us, even when we veer off course. I love the quote...both versions of it! I have straight, silky hair. Finding the right hairstylist is a thing, especially when you live in a small town, like I do. I have been going to the same hairstylist for 27 years and he is 2 hours away from where I live. Yep, it is definitely a thing!!
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how our thought patterns quickly lead to discontents if left unchecked. These are good thoughts for me today as I continue my contentment journey this year. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJerralea, thank you for this post. It was definitely meant for me today. It seemed that the last two days have been one negative after another...today especially. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. Contentment...it is a word that He has been trying to teach me. xx
ReplyDeleteI loved when you wrote, "A saved mind does not have to dwell on the thoughts the enemy puts out there." so much that I tweeted it! (I linked it back to your blog, too!) What a great perspective! Our focus is so important. So often we can focus on the wrong things...the lies of the enemy...and then come crashing down! But, when we focus on the Truth, we can rest assured that He loves us. And in His love we find contentment!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joan