The Secret of Contentment - 8.4.11

Imagine yourself completely satisfied or content for a minute...  It's a pleasant thought isn't it? Contentment isn't something we think about all the time, but it's defined by Merriam-Webster as: "feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation." Is that where you are? Contentment is something we all yearn for, especially in the most unsettled of times. It can often seem out of reach, but it doesn't have to be!
 
Whenever I feel like I am not content in life, I try to remind myself of the Apostle Paul's incredible words in his letter to the Philippian Church. He said, "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," (Phil. 4:11-12). Isn't that inspiring and humbling all at the same time?!! I think so, especially knowing that Paul was in prison for being a follower of Christ when wrote those words. He wasn't just writing idealistically, he was being honest and he was talking about real life feelings in real life situations. Have you learned the secret of being content like Paul? He unlocked the secret to contentment in verse 13 by following his previous statements with, "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."  

So Jesus Christ is the answer... but how?  Well, the first and most important step is to put your trust in Christ as the forgiver of all your sins and as the leader of your life.  He died for your sins, and he wants to give you new hope and a new life in Him!  If you do this, the Bible says that you will be put back into a right relationship with God, you will spend eternity in Heaven, and you will be given the gift of the Holy Spirit, an advocate, "who will teach you all things and remind you of everything I [Jesus] have said to you," (Jn.14:26). The second step is to begin developing a relationship with God as your father and your friend. As 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us, talk to Him regularly, "pray without ceasing." And last but not least, stay close to God, read your Bible, and don't ever take your focus off of Jesus. "He is the author and perfecter of faith," (Heb.12:2). Like a person who is afraid of heights will get nervous when they look down from a high place, you will begin to lose the peace and contentment a relationship with Christ has brought you when you let your life and your circumstances distract you from all of the good things that God has for you. You really can have the contentment Paul had... It's waiting for you in Christ!

Feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts on any of this below. I'd love to hear from you! If you're reading this on the Reaching You website, please click the blog title in order to comment.

To purchase my book, Life, In Spite of Me, Please Order It From Amazon Here.15% of all proceeds from this link will go to Reaching You Ministries. Thanks!!

When Life Gives You Lemons - 7.28.11

This was the title of the show I did with Patrick Henry Hughes and Jeremy Camp yesterday. Our interviews were featured on Your Family Live! (a Web/TV/Radio Show done by the incredible people at Focus on the Family). Click here to watch. I smiled when I first saw the title of the show in my e-mail this week. It took me back to an experience I had years ago. I actually wrote about it in my book:

I returned to my wheelchair, and as I was taking off my prosthetic legs, a nurse's aide in white scrubs entered the room. "You've got some nice legs there," she said. "How do you like them?" There was no pity in her voice, just curiosity. I shrugged and decided to tell her the honest truth. "They're okay. They're just not like my legs used to be." I didn't want to be negative, but I couldn't be enthusiastic either. "Well, when God gives you lemons, then you've just got to make lemonade," she spouted with confidence. We chatted for a few more minutes, and then she hustled off to her duties. After she left, her words stuck with me. It was the simplest thing, yet it made sense. Is it possible to take all the heartache and challenges I've been through and let them work for the better? It gave me hope for change. It also made me think about something Ruth Ann had told me a year prior. "You're a strong willed person, Kristen. You can either let that work for you or against you," (p. 154, 155).

Making lemonade out of lemons isn't the easiest thing to do in life, but I've found it necessary. It's much easier to hold on to our dreams, or how we think things should have been, but that isn't going to change what happened yesterday or any other day in the past. I couldn't bring my legs back no matter how much I wished I could. It's important to remember that we only have today to work with. As the old saying goes, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift." We might as well make the best of it!

Please, think about what it is that you have to be grateful for. Make a list. Ask yourself what God gave you to enjoy about your life today. And learn from the book of Job. The Bible shows us that Job was a good man, but he lost his family, his livestock, his wealth and his health. He questioned God, grumbled about his situation, and even wished he was dead, but he never gave up and he never lost his faith in God. He seemed to always know that God was still God, that he could always trust Him, and at the end of his life "the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before", (Job 42:10). I hope you know that God is always God and that He never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," (Heb. 13:8). He will never let you go, He will never give up on you, He will always love you, and He is right there with you.

Feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts on any of this below. I'd love to hear from you! If you're reading this on the Reaching You website, please click the blog title in order to comment.

To purchase my book, Life, In Spite of Me, Please Order It From Amazon Here. 15% of all proceeds from this link will go to Reaching You Ministries. Thanks!!

Introducing Kristen's Blog - 7.26.11

Hi Everyone!  I am pleased to announce that I will be starting this blog.  Please check back when you're able.  There will be more info to come! - Kristen