Contentment

I love the book of Philippians.  No matter how many times I read it, I never cease to be both encouraged and challenged by Paul's words to the church in Philippi. 

Recently I have been studying Philippians, and the other day, I came across a passage in chapter 4 that always amazes me.  In verses 11 through 13, Paul says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  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." (NIV) 

Contentment is something I really struggle with.  I have a wonderful life...a great husband, son, & family, a roof over my head, food to eat, clothes to wear, a good job, wonderful friends, a strong church family...I could go on and on!  But I still find things to complain about, and at times I really can't say that I am content.

What's really incredible about this passage is that Paul was writing these words from prison!  More than likely he was hungry, alone, cold, and mistreated.  Yet he was able to say that he was content!  If I can't be content in the wonderful life I have, I seriously doubt I would have been conent in those circumstances. 

So what was Paul's "secret" he refers to in this passage?  While I obviously can't sit down and ask Paul exactly what he was talking about, I think he shares several pieces of his secret throughout the book of Philippians:

Relying on God's strength

Immediately following the passage I quoted earlier, Paul writes, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13, NIV)  The more I've thought about it, I really believe it's impossible for human beings to be completely content.  It's against our nature.  There's always going to be something to be unhappy about. 

That's where God comes in. 

 

In Matthew 19:26, Jesus tells us "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)  In Ephesians 1:19-20, Paul writes, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him.  This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms." (NLT) 

Wow!  As Christians, we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead living in us!  I don't know about you, but I certainly don't take advantage of that power nearly as much as I should.  Instead of thinking about contentment as something I need to master on my own, I should start asking God every day to work through his Holy Spirit to make me more content.

Living as a citizen of heaven

In Philippians 1:27, Paul says "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ." (NLT).  In Romans 12:2, he writes, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." (NLT)  As Christians, we shouldn't want to be like the world.  We shouldn't want everything the world has or value what it values.  That is a huge struggle for me!  Without even meaning to, I'm constantly comparing myself and what I have to those around me and what they have.  A friend of mine shared this quote on Facebook awhile back, and I loved it:

 

When we moved into our first house a little over three years ago, it felt huge!  I remember thinking "We'll never be able to fill up these closets."  Ha!  Lately, I find myself going into other people's homes an thinking "I wish I had those granite countertops!" or "If only I had the money to hire a decorator."  Jake and I just recently had a conversation about eventally moving to a bigger home.  We both  agreed that our house is fine right now, but when we have another kid, we will need something with more space. 

 

Need?  Not so much...

 

In reality, our house is perfectly adequate for a family much bigger than ours!  As a matter of fact, we could live in it for the rest of our lives and still be much better off than the vast majority of the world.  

 

As much as I hate to admit it, I sometimes get caught up in the American ideals of "bigger and better" and "keeping up with the Jonses."  But comparing myself to those around me robs me of joy and contentment and distracts me from what I really should be focused on: living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

 

Having an attitude of gratitude

Throughout Philippians, Paul is constantly expressing his thankfulness and joy.  In chapter one, he says "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy." (Phil. 1:3-4, NLT).  In chapter three, he says, "Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord." (Phil. 3:1, NLT).  Finally in chapter four, he instructs us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by payer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil. 4:6).

 

In the midst of imprisonment and persecution, Paul was rejoicing and thanking God.  No matter how bad things in life seem, we can always find something to be grateful for.  And I really think that when we focus on the many blessings God has given us, the problems in our lives seem much less significant.

 

With the start of November and the upcoming Thankgiving holiday, I think a lot of people are trying to be more mindful of their blessings.  I know I really want to take time this month to be thankful of all the good things in my life-both big and small.  My family, friends, and country...the changing leaves, the blue sky, and the cooler weather...the clean water I have to drink every day...the heat that keeps my house warm...and on and on and on.  This year I hope to make Thanksgiving a holiday that's not just about eating and getting together with family, but a time for true reflection and thankfulness. 

 

And not just Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.  When I really stop and think about all that I have, I really am a much more joyful and content person.

 

 

Well, I hope this post has encouraged and challenged you.  I know I have certainly stepped on my own toes! :)  Like I said, contentment is really something I constantly struggle with, and I am nowhere near where I would like to be in that area of my life.  But I hope and pray that through his transforming power, God will mold me into a more grateful, joyful, and content citizen of heaven. 

 

~Rachel 

Things don't always go according to plan...

I'm a planner.  Always have been, probably always will be.  Before I go to bed each night, I have a rough plan in my head for the next day.  I plan my work time, my down time, even my weekends.  I plan our dinner menus a week at a time so I only have to make one trip to the grocery store.  I like to plan vacations at least 6 months in advance, and before we leave...you guessed it: I like to plan as many details of the trip as possible!

I've always kind of been proud of my ability to plan and organize.  I love the satisfaction that comes when an event or get-together I've planned goes smoothly.  I love the security that comes with knowing what's coming next. 

Lately, though, I think God is trying to teach me some lessons about planning.  A little over six months ago, sweet little Luke Ellis entered our lives, and since then my plans have been going out the window.

I have Luke dressed in an adorable outfit for church, and right before we walk out the door, he has a giant diaper blow-out.  I schedule a conference call for Luke's usual nap time, and he decides he's not taking a nap.  The latest example occurred when we recently introduced Luke to solid food.

During my pregnancy, I decided that I wanted to breastfeed Luke for the first six months before giving him any solids.  Thankfully, through the support of family and friends, I was able to do that.  Now I totally understand that many moms cannot or do not want to exclusively breastfeed, and I am not judging them at all!  But it was something that was important to me, and I am thankful that I was able to do it. 

As the six month mark grew closer, I began researching different approaches for introducing solids.  Being the planner and nutritionist I am (for those of you who don't know, I work as a Registered Dietitian), I wanted to come up with the best possible strategy.  I read a lot about an approach called Baby Lead Weaning (BLW).  I won't go into all the details (you can read about it here, here, or here), but basically, the idea is that you give a baby small amounts of soft, easy to eat foods and let them feed themselves.  Proponents of BLW claim it saves time and money (no baby foods to make or buy) and exposes babies to more diverse flavors and textures, leading to less picky eating down the road.  I have some friends who have had success with BLW, and after talking to them and doing my research, I decided it was the way to go.  Let the planning begin!

I went back and forth on what food I would give to Luke first, but finally decided on sweet potatoes.  They're tasty, healthy, and can be cut into a variety of shapes that would be easy for him to handle.  On the day of his six month "birthday," my parents and brother came over to take pictures and celebrate Luke's big milestone.  I carefully peeled, chopped, and steamed the sweet potatoes.  We sat Luke in his Bumbo seat, laid his feast in front of him, and got the cameras and iPhones ready.

Nothing happened.  He showed not even the slightest interest in the sweet potatoes.


Luke's face perfectly demonstrates how he felt about his
first taste of solids.

I put a little sweet potato stick in his hand.  He immediately dropped it and began to fuss.  I tried "helping" him take a little bite.  He got a disgusted look on his face and spit it out.  As a last resort, I mashed some up, mixed it with a little breastmilk, and gave him a little with a spoon.  He seemed to like the taste when I put it on his tongue, but as soon as he tried to swallow, the texture made him gag.  I added more and more breastmilk, he finally managed to swallow a little before getting so cranky that we gave up. 

Despite my best efforts, my plan had failed.  I felt discouraged and frustrated.  Thankfully, my family was there to offer a little perspective.  My mom reminded me that the only thing Luke had ever swallowed was liquid.  Of course something else would take some getting used to!  Jake sweetly encouraged me that we would try again the next day. 

And we did.  And Luke did a little better.  Every day since he has eaten a little more.  In addition to sweet potato, we've given him pureed green beans and mashed avocado, and he has done great!

Luke especially likes avocado!

While I hope to transition him fairly quickly from purees to finger foods, I'm not going to stress about it.  Luke will eventually learn to feed himself.  I won't be sending him to kindergarten with pureed green beans and a note asking his teacher to spoon feed him.  Despite the fact that things didn't go according to plan, they will work out.

The whole introducing solids thing is just a humorous example of some of the bigger lessons I feel like God is teaching me:

• Don't sweat the small stuff.  In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing."  He goes on to tell us, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."  I need to stop spending so much time planning and worrying about the physical, temporary things of this life and more time focusing on what really matters.
• Have faith in God's plan, even when mine doesn't work out.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  God knows what is best for me far better than I do.  There have been several times in my life that I have prayed fervently for something to happen (or not happen), believing in my heart that what I had planned was the best possible outcome.  When God didn't answer my prayers the way I wanted him too, I was confused and frustrated.  But months or years later as I looked back on the situation, I realized that God had something far better planned for me than I ever could have imagined.

Okay, this post has turned out to be much longer than I intended, but it's really something I have had on my heart lately.  Please feel free to share your comments!  How do you deal with upset plans?  Any tips for not sweating the small stuff?  I would love to hear about lessons God is teaching you!

~Rachel