Contentment
( in Plenty and in Want) By Shaunte L. Sparks
Contentment: freedom from worry or restlessness: peaceful satisfaction.
Plenty: an abundance especially of material things that permit a satisfactory life: a condition or time of abundance.
Want: to desire, wish, or long for something
Take a few minutes to do a general assessment / inventory of your life? Which areas would you say are in the overflow of goodness and grace? Which areas are in shambles or are suffering from lack …? Which areas are like in the book“ Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” just right?
Hand raised, asking for a friend …“ How did those Goldilocks areas get into the“ just right” arena? What did you do more of? Less of? What did you read? Which guru( s) did you glean from? What did you cut out? How long did it take? How much did it cost??! If I had that / could do that … When I get / acquire that, I’ ll be good. All will be well.
Sound familiar? Any of it? Well, if that doesn’ t sound like any of you, cool. I’ ll write to myself and for myself today. That scenario had played out in my thoughts and through my conversations more times than I cared to count. And then one day I had an epiphany. More like a reminder,“ No matter where you go, there you are.” My sense / Our sense of peace is not connected to a particular outcome. It is connected to m / our relationship with my / our Source. Who is your Source? And does your life / living reflect your response?
Truth is, we don’ t need a bunch of gurus, coaches, pastors, guides, seminars, self-help books( key phrase was need a bunch of) to tell us the same thing, teach the same lesson, and / or reiterate that which we already know. If we do then, we’ re not as connected to Source as we say we are. Nor are we as in tune with the one who stares back at us in the mirror as we think or claim to be. We are deeply misaligned if this is truly what it takes. And guess what? That’ s okay too, so long as we finally get it.
Trust me when I tell you, no-thing more has to come in to or leave your life for you to gain contentment. Let’ s rephrase … To be content in my life, the requirement is a deeper relationship with my Source which leads to more prayer, stronger faith, and the utmost surrender of all things worry, doubt, fear, lack, and otherwise related, to the Most High God, the King of King, and the Lord or Lords. As within, so without.
Please do not think you have to wait until you get the thing; the financial breakthrough, the job, the doctor’ s report, the credit score, the house, the caretaker, wife / husband etc … to acquire peace or more peace. Keep in mind, each level of elevation leads to new encounters of otherness or enemies / inner-mes. Besides, a famous rapper from the 90’ s said it best,“ Mo Money, Mo Problems.” I don’ t claim this; however, we can be aware that there will be new challenges, and we can choose to be unmoved by them. In laymen’ s terms, it’ s an inside job.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13( KJV)
In the Apostle Paul’ s Final Exhortation, he told us how to be content in all things. To summarize, he said:
1. Rejoice in the Lord always …
2. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God
3. Whatever is true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, think on such things. What I love is, there was a silent promise attached to one of the calls … The Apostle Paul told us what to do and then said,“ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:7( NIV)
You have the blueprint to walk a life full of contentment regardless of if you find yourself in plenty or in want. So, what are you going to do? Take the time today to surrender your worries and woes and pick up the peace of God. Allow gratitude and thanksgiving to permeate through your being today, in appreciation for this present moment and all that you are and have. When you can become masterful over your now, it shows your readiness for that which awaits you. Wishing you more …
All definitions obtained from Merriam Webster Dictionary.
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