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Contentment

by Pamela Stier

What passes through your mind when you think of being content?

Maybe sitting in your favorite puffy chair reading your favorite book, drinking a hot latte. Sometimes it’s just watching your family wake up, laughing and ready to face the day, and you think to yourself, I am content.

Are you content with God? Do you have that stillness that comes with being content wherever you are? There was a time in my life when we had to return to our missionary work in Brazil after spending a few months in the states that I could not say that.

When I had left Brazil I was recovering from three months of severe hepatitis. We had no electricity or water. My babies were still in diapers, which I had to wash in the stream. I was not content or happy and I didn’t feel joy about anything. However, I had to obey God and He said, "Go." In those months I learned that contentment has nothing to do with what is around you. It is a deep walk with God, to know His presence. It is knowing that He is in control.

During that time I was sad, I cried but I was content. I learned that the joy of the Lord is deep within me and not affected by the hard things that hit us. He never changes. In a few months the grin caught up to the joy in my soul, which came with a love for Brazil and our ministry.

Our contentment only comes from God. When you are right with God His contentment snuggles into your soul. His joy covers your mind like a fine filter. No matter what comes at you, you are at peace. You know it is going to be OK.

When Paul said he was content in all things (Philippians 4:11), he was not exactly on a sea cruise with buffets and shows. He was suffering. We have to have this quality in our lives. Contentment can slowly disappear and one day we find ourselves complaining about things that never mattered before. Rest becomes impossible because the soul isn’t content.

Here are a few reasons I have lost contentment in my life in the past.

1. Taking control. God is the one in every situation who must have the control. Only He is wise enough to handle it. I see this with my kids. So many times I think I have to fix their lives. When I can’t fix everything, I get depressed and think I’m a failure.

Give the control back to Him. We lose the joy of the Lord when we try to take the control of our lives from God.

2. Disobedience. When we disobey we lose contentment. I pray for good tomatoes, that my neighbor will be blessed today, that my favorite hairdresser will be working. God loves to do the little things for us. Our conversation goes on all day. Sometimes He directs us to do little things: ”Go talk to that lady in the red dress” or “Tell him God loves him” or “Make your husband’s favorite meal tonight.” I don’t know how many times I have done something that I thought looked dumb but I obeyed. But there were many times I did not obey. But we must obey. Contentment comes when we can walk with God and He can whisper in our ear knowing that we listen and obey.

3. Not walking in truth. We need to live in the fear of the Lord and remember that even in the little things we are women of the truth. When the grumpy lady at the supermarket gives us 10 dollars extra in change, do we give it back? When we download music, do we pay for it? We must always walk in the truth. There is no place in our lives for little lies. Truth must rule in our lives, in our relationships. When we don’t walk in the truth we cannot have peace in our hearts.

4. Not controlling our minds. We must put our minds under the control of Jesus. What do we think about? Philippians 4:8 tells us to meditate on what is true, noble, pure, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy. This takes a conscious choice.

When I first got sick it was overwhelming to my spirit. I thought, “Will I be this way the rest of my life?” If I had continued down that road I would have missed all that God still has for me to do. I decided I would always have something different to think about. I play music and read books all the time. I have to keep my mind occupied. If I don’t, all the problems of the mission, our life, my kids’ lives and my parents’ lives comes rushing through my head and I have no answers. I intercede and take it seriously but when it comes right down to it God has to take over. I can’t worry about it. Think on the pure, lovely and noble. Don’t be overwhelmed.

How do we get back our contentment?

1. Repent and give the control back to God. Ask God to show you where you have tried to take control. He can show you where worry is ruling your life. Ask Him to show you Himself. When we see who He is, His character, His love for us, His power, His wisdom, it will be easy to give Him back the control.

2. Live in His Word. Read it. Meditate on it. Make it part of your life. You will see that He is totally worthy of your trust. Only He has the wisdom and power to deal with the problems we face. His Word will wash our minds and show us the truth.

3. Obey. When God speaks, obey Him right then and there. He will show you what to do. The more we obey the more we recognize His voice.

4. Walk in the truth. We are the light of the world. People need to look at us and see truth. We need to be the one that people turn to because they know we walk in truth. We need to show the world Jesus.

5. Keep control of your thoughts. Don’t ponder the problems of your lives. Think on things that are lovely and pure. Meditate on the Word.

Guard your heart and you will again know the stillness of heart that comes only from Him.

PAMELA STIER lives in Brazil where she and her husband have worked as missionaries for the last 34 years.