“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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
These two verses spoke to me this morning as I contemplated all the things that I choose to grumble and complain about on a daily basis. Oh, woe is me, my life is so hard, and I can’t ever make it through. In the grand scheme of things, these problems I face are just… life.
Yet God never meant for us to simply “get by” and accept the hardships as they knock us down again and again.
Paul knew this full well. Beaten, imprisoned, persecuted, and forced to bear conditions worse than we will probably ever bear in our lifetime, he knew it wasn’t about simply putting on a smile and trudging through it.
This life is about contentment given by God’s strength.
Contentment, defined, is an ease of mind. That’s what God wants from us. He wants us to dismiss those worries, that stress, and the little things that hammer away at our happiness and peace of mind. He wants us to give it all up to him and in turn, He provides us with greater contentment than we could ever find ourselves. The contentment He gives us isn’t just an ease of mind; it’s a reminder that He is the only refuge our mind needs. So even when those little things that bother us so dearly poke their heads back into our lives, we can seek His peace. If we would only trust in Him, we would see how He works in our life each and every day, through both the highs and the lows.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
The imperialist countries left because they were simply and purely beaten and forced to recognize the autonomy of their colonies.
What does this mean?
:)
You always seem to know what to post right when I need that bit of encouragement.
I’m so glad!