A Resolution to Be Content

So I finished reading the first chapter of the Resolution for Women. If you haven't read in awhile read the post before this one. This chapter is called Surprisingly Satisfied: A resolution to be content. The author talks about what it means to be truly content with our lives. In the first part of the chapter she talks about eating a piece of chocolate cake on her birthday with one of her mentors. Her mentor told her this was going to be the best year of her life. She wondered how this could be and began reflecting on her life. She realized that she couldn't remember certain aspects of her life because she had always been hurrying through life. She talked about when she was in college she wanted to be married, and once she was married she wanted children and so forth. She said that she realized she had been rushing through life and not taking time to enjoy her current season in life. I realized that I took have been guilty of this, I'm sure like many of you. The day I read this first part was mother's day. I letting my feelings get the best of me. For instance I had told someone that I"ve known for quite awhile Happy Mother's Day and she looked at me and said Happy M.....Women's Day. While I know she meant no harm in this statement. I allowed the destroyer to tell me that I was less of a woman because I was not a mother. Now this is a desire that I have for one day, but the fact is thats not my season in life right now. Many times the destroyer tries to lie to us and tell us that there is something better and that the grass is greener on the other side. I find myself looking forward to May 17, 2013...Med School Graduation...yes I looked at the new academic calendar when it was posted. But you see while looking forward to and anticipating something is okay, we begin to struggle when we put so much focus on what lies ahead we forget to enjoy the moment that we are in. The author talked about how she found herself absorb in this conversation with her mentor she realized that the chocolate cake she was eating was gone except for a few crumbs. She said that she was determined to get all the crumbs and enjoy that piece of chocolate cake to the last crumb. She said in that moment she decided to look at her life in much the same way. She would cherish every moment and not race ahead to the future.

But godliness with contentment is great gain

 1 Timothy 6:6

1.  What have you been hurrying through?

2. What have you been hurrying to get to?

3. What are some of the good parts of your experience that you've missed in an attempt to rush through the more difficult ones?

4. What can you do differently today to scrape the plate, to gather up all the good things around you and begin enjoying the journey of your life?

Contentment lies in understanding that God has richly supplied us with everything that we need. Many times He supplies us with more than we need, more than we could ever imagine. In the next part of the chapter she talked about playing the game telephone. I'm sure many of you have played this before. Someone whispers something in one person's ear and then down the line it goes. We all know that what the last person says they heard is not what the first person said most of the time far from it. This is how it is in our lives. You see as women we are very impressionable. We listen to those around us that try to tell us what it is to be content. You see the Redbook woman, or the Good Housekeeping Wife. Many times its all about moving onto the next stage. Our society tells us if you are dating someone the next step is to move in with them or to get married. If you're newly married people hound you about when you're going to start having kids. I've seen with several of my friends after they have one kid, people start asking when they will have the next one and so forth. As you age and your kids are gone its when are they going to give you grandkids. Society that is goal driven has become future focused to the point that we don't take the time to enjoy our current season of life and be content in it. We are always anticipating the next step and it clouds our present view of our lives. If we continue in this pattern we will come to the end of our lives and look back and wonder where all the time and the memories went. The deceiver seeks to push these lies into society. He seeks to distort the truth and show us that there is something better, that the grass is truly greener on the other side. But what I learned through this chapter is that contentment is not just acquired its learned. We are not born contented. In fact we are born into a world of sin and constantly battling the sinful desires of our hearts. We must seek and learn to be contented in all aspects of life. Paul stated that he learned to be contented. In Philippians 4:10-13 we read:

 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  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.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength

Philippians 4:10-13

Contentment was something that Paul practiced. And it is something that we must practice everyday. We determine that we will not listen to the lies the deceiver tells us. We must determine to help each other to encourage each other and we must teach this process of contentment to those younger than us. The fact is that God has richly blessed us. Society tells us that we are not richly blessed unless we have lots of money and possessions. But God has promised to supply us with our every need. He takes care of our daily needs and many times he provides even more than that. When we are contented with what we have and our season in life we are richer than those with all the money possessions and those that are constantly looking for the next step in their season in life. We can have the joy in knowing that God has secured our future through Jesus Christ and He knows the plans He has for us and we can enjoy the moment.

When we learn to be content with our lives we are better able to serve others. Many times we get burned out tired of selflessly giving to those around us. We first have to realize when we are truly content we have an energy a supply grace from God that allows us to serve those around us. Part  of this though is learning to say no. I understand "NO" is a hard word to say. But when we live uncontneted lives its even harder to say because we find ourselves always trying to please always trying to be better. But when we are contented with where we are we understand that at times we have to say no and give energy to other tasks around us that demand our attention. When we say no we are able to get the rest that God so graciously wants to grant us. With this rest we can better serve those around us. 

The chapter ends by talking about how this all is a balancing act. We be contented and still look forward to  and even plan for the future. In fact I feel that is what God calls us to. He calls us to be  his workmanship approved and ready for all the work He has set before us. But we must balance. We must not become so focused on the next step or what we don't have that we forget to enjoy the moment and the blessing that God is giving us right now. When we learn to be content with our lives we are better able to enjoy the current season and learn from it so we are prepared for what lies ahead because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has secured the future. He holds it in his hands. He has not lead us where we can flourish we just must surrender our will and our desires to Him and allow Him to work in us and through us. 

"And being confident in this that He who began a GOOD work in YOU will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

Philippians 1:6

That's it ladies I am confident that God has began a good a very good work in you. He's not just going to leave you here or require that you jump ahead to the future. Because He has began a good work in you He wants you to find your contentment in Him. Because He has promised He will finish what He has started.

If you are ready to begin living a contented life I encourage you to take this first resolution with me...

I Sarah Kauble do solemnly resolve to EMBRACE my current season of life and will MAXIMIZE my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live a spirit of contentment.

Resolution

 I have decided to start reading The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer. This book was written in response to the movie Courageous. This movie details the lives of  five men who decided each other to live the lives that God called them to...to be Courageous men with honor, who lead their families. This book is specifically written towards women. They have written a resolution for women similar to the one that the men took in the movie. The book consists of 13 chapters that detail each resolution. AS I read this book I have decided to blog what I am reading about. I encourage you to grab a copy of this book at your local book store or download it on your ipad, kindle, nook...etc and read with me. 

In the opening chapter Pricilla discusses that it won’t be easy looking at these resolutions. It will take some soul searching and learning to be honest with yourself. So I recognize that this challenge is not easy. First it will require those of us that do it to be honest with ourselves and with God. It will require us to remove the masks that I’ve talked about before. Like I’ve said before the refining process that I believe will happen through this book may not be easy but the end product I’m sure will be a beautiful masterpiece even more beautiful than you already are. So if you’re in...join me. If not continue to read maybe it will inspire you to join me. I’m in the middle of the first chapter right now so I will write a big post on the chapter as a whole. But first let me share with you the Resolution for Women...

1. I do solemnly resolve to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live a spirit of contentment
2. I will champion God’s model for womanhood in the face of a postfeminist culture. I will teach it to my daughters and encourage its support by my son.
3. I will accept and celebrate my uniqueness and will esteem and encourage the distinctions I admire in others.
4. I will live as a woman answerable to GOd and faithfully committed to His word.
5. I will seek to devote the best of myself, my time, and my talents to the primary roles the Lord has entrusted to me in this phase of my life. 
6. I will be a woman who is quick to listen and slow to speak. I will care about the concerns of others and esteem them more highly than myself.
7. I will forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
8. I will not tolerate evil influences even in the most justifiable form, in myself or in my home, but will embrace and encourage a life of purity.
9. I will pursue justice, love, and mercy and extend compassion toward others.
10. I will be faithful to my husband and honor him in my conduct and conversation in order to bring glory to the name of the Lord. I will aspire to be a suitable partner for him and to help him reach his God-given potential.
11. I will demonstrate to my children how to love God with all their hearts, minds, and strength and will train them to respect authority and live responsibility. 
12. I will cultivate a peaceful home where everyone can sense God’s presence not only through acts of love and service but also through the pleasant and grateful attitude with which I preform them. 
13. I fully resolve to make today’s decisions with tomorrow’s impact in mind. I will consider my current choices in light of those who will come after me. 

So are you with me? Will you join me on this journey of discovering how God can change our lives through this simple resolution? Look for my first post sometime next week. 

Resolution: The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination;  A course of action determined or decided upon