Sunday, February 5
Living in ContentmentThis morning, I sat with family and friends and watched as our minister baptized Griffin. It was a tender and precious and humbling moment. I am honored to have been given the opportunity by God to participate in such a moment. It was lovely.
We went to lunch with Mike's dad and his wife, and in the midst of our good time, Eliza got sick. By the time we got home, she had fever. As I drove to get her more medicine, I noticed the ugly tugging of my car and reminded myself to help Mike get it to the shop tomorrow. This evening, Griff and Mike were playing and Griff busted his lip and bled all over.
On the whole, the day was a good reminder that rarely is any moment or event or situation or phase of life completely good or completely bad (though Griff's acceptance of Christ a few weeks ago and his baptism this morning were both purely good).
In his sermon this morning, our minister said, "faith is at its very best on the edge of exile." His sermon centered on God being where we are at any given moment. "God is in whatever exile His people experience," Dr. T said. And that means the world to me.
Several years ago, Mike and I went through a really difficult period. It was hard to experience then and, in truth, it is hard to think about even now. But it was in that time that I learned a lot about how our marriage works and about about how faithful God is.
It was in that time that I realized that, for me at least, happiness isn't a goal. Happiness, in my perception, is fleeting. I have - and certainly enjoy and look forward to - purely happy moments in my life. But they come and go.
Contentment, on the other hand, is something that resonates with me. Contentment allows me to feel really miserable or sad or angry about something specific while still resting comfortably in the knowledge that God is at work and that God is ... well, God.
Contentment is something that sits with me and feels snuggly around me like a well-worn fuzzy bathrobe. It wraps me in a security that I can find only in Christ.
I seek not happiness in this life but contentment. And I find that the more contented I am, the more happy moments I find.
[ posted by Chel on Sunday, February 05, 2006 ]
[ 6 comments ]
6 Comments:
HA, tell Mike that I threw a frisbee to my oldest and gave him a bloody nose. I felt horrible. He is not alone. It's amazing how the ride of life goes with children. Up, down, up, down. I try to concentrate on the ups a lot. Mrs. Pastor does too.
By 
Bro. Craig, at
11:55 AM
"Security in Christ" ---YES!
Thank you for being a beacon for Him!
Warmly,
Ann V. HolyExperience
By Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience, at
6:05 PM
Amen Michele! I had some rough moments in my marriage as well, to be more exact today a year ago. But God was faithful and saw me through. I hope that I am a better wife today, than I was a year ago...Thank you for sharing your thoughts on contentment.
We had some very rough times in our marriage as well, and if it's not a marriage it's health, finances, work or something. God gives us these tests--for one, to teach us contentment! I hope I'm getting the lesson, 'cause I'm getting tired!
Carmen
By Full Contact, Savior-centric Livin, at
8:52 AM
I agree - happiness is fleeting indeed. I heard growing up that "happiness is a choice". I think there is some truth to that.
I think we've all had difficulties in life and if they serve to send us to God for our strength and contentment, then they have profitted us in a way that the enemy does not desire.
By 
, at
10:29 AM
" Contentment allows me to feel really miserable or sad or angry about something specific while still resting comfortably in the knowledge that God is at work and that God is ... well, God."
This sentence is the heart of it! Thanks for putting it so well. It is something we choose to pursue (or to chase, as you so vividly put it!) or choose to pine away about....I've been thinking a lot about it the past year!
Christie
By , at
9:33 PM