October’s Goal: Choose Contentment

Though the Fall Fairy has come to my house ( aka me) the heat of the Arizona sun has not complied with the visuals of pumpkins, hay bales and the fall decor that I see everywhere I go. Part of me is content where I am and the other part of me longs for a cozy sweater and a pumpkin latte in weather where it makes sense. I can not bring myself to pumpkin cozy in 90 degree weather.

That brings me to something I want to share with you. We all get to choose how content we are with our lives. We can be unbearably negative, unrealistically positive or somewhere in between the two. I have landed in both extremes more than I want to admit, but the place that I find the peace is a settled surrender to God in the middle.

The middle ground of being real with myself about life…It’s not all good, it’s not all bad…and in every place I find myself in, I can also count on finding God with me.

Will I recognize his presence? Will I move to his heartbeat on streets paved with problems or disappointments?

The Apostle Paul spoke of finding contentment regardless of his circumstances in Philippians, chapter 4. It’s a quick read and would be a great way to start the new month.

First he starts with–Be anxious for nothing. Followed by–pray about everything. These two are topped with– Thanks in all things. He says the result will be peace and then a few verses later he tells us he found the secret to contentment.

What is the secret to contentment?

Is it good outcomes? Perfect circumstances?

No, it is hanging on in the middle–praying, trusting, thanking and finding anything good and staying focused there.

This speaking season I have been speaking on what we do with our problems. And, let me tell you, the message has challenged me. As I sit here, in a green room, in Tennessee getting ready to speak again tonight– am in terrible sciatica pain that emerged after the 5 hours of flying a few days ago.

I have hobbled through the past two days and tonight I am hoping I can hobble again unto the stage. My life is not perfect circumstances today, but this I know–As I stop the negative, focus on the positive and remain in God’s presence, have peace and I am content with my current circumstance.

Oh yes, I want this pain to go away, but if it doesn’t….I know in my heart, that God has something for me in the middle of it all.

Choose your tent friends…discontent or content. It is not dependent on circumstance, but is dependent on a choice of the will to trust God in all things….

Let’s do this focus upward all October!

Will you join me?

xoxo

Debbie