A Support Community for Moms

Tag: contentment

I want it all! {Mom of Many}

Lie #12 – Lies Women Believe Bible Study

Women of Truth {Mom of Many}

Due to A NEW BABY in the Frania family, Bible study was cut short last night. Good problem to have, ay?

So I’m sharing my thoughts on Lie #12 from our Bible study “Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free” by Nancy DeMoss:

LIE: I should not have to live with unfulfilled longings

I have so many unfulfilled longings that if I pursued all of them I’d be a wreck.

Is it the same with you? Am I alone on this?

Women make plans. Women day dream about what life could be like if only…

Women want more! Women pursue hopes and dreams like their life depended on it. We multi task and one of those tasks – always – is what we want to do or how we could do something better, or what our next step is…you get the picture.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy! BUT that is what makes us special. We pursue. We don’t sit idle and we don’t accept mediocrity.

BUT that also is what can drive us nuts and cause us to think we are missing out.

Free from Bondage! {Mom of Many}

It can put us in bondage.

Too often we think that: if we are hungry – eat. If we don’t have the $ – charge it. If we want more romance – do what it takes to get it.

BUT that mind set will always leave us unfulfilled.

Longings are not bad. Longings are a natural part of a woman’s life. It’s what we do about them that makes our lives better… or empty.

It’s OK to have longings.

Our satisfaction must come from our relationship with God and if we are believers we can be fulfilled in Him. That’s not just a religious platitude.

Our mindset needs to be purposely managed – decide to look to God to supply our needs/wants/dreams/aspirations/goals, etc.

He will do it for you if you:

  • Walk in the Spirit (sincerely follow Him, get to know Him through His Word, pursue a life of holiness living a life pleasing to God, consider spiritual things daily and LOVE Him in word and actions) Galatians 5:25
  • Ask Him for direction and listen to His promptings (He speaks in a quiet voice, so learn to LISTEN). Colossians 2:6,7
  • Determine to consider every decision: Am I putting my relationship with God first? Does what I am contemplating line up with Scripture? Will the outcome of my actions please Him? Am I considering others?  Ephesians 4:30

Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Sometimes we just need to choose to do right regardless of our own desires. OUCH.

I want it all! {Mom of Many}

 Pursuing the wrong thing = discontent.

Let’s determine to make good decisions, choose to do right no matter what, and to pursue God and not “things.”

We cannot have all that we desire – unless our desires are desires that God has put in our hearts. (Psalm 37:4)

All of our longings will not be satisfied this side of heaven. So let’s set our sights on heaven and glorifying God while we are here – it is the only way we will be fulfilled and content.

Val @ Mom of Many

Thoughts on Contentment

I was working on my Sunday school lesson and thought it would be a good thing to communicate to more than my ladies’ Sunday school class. We’ve been talking about contentment, the type of contentment that God gives to those who completely trust Him. Below is part of my lesson for tomorrow.

1. To be gracious is to decide in our heart that we are satisfied with God’s dealings in our life both in judgment and understanding.

If one desires to have a peaceful life, there is no room for bitterness, envy or selfishness. Those who fight for their rights are not content. Those who accuse others, live for paybacks or have a desire to control others cannot be content. If we must live in the past and drag others there because we have unresolved bitterness or resentment, we have closed the door on ever having a gracious spirit, the gracious spirit that God can use to bring us the satisfaction of living in Him. Walking in the Spirit maintaining a gracious spirit toward others is the only way to have the peace we all crave.  (James 3:16)

 2. We need to recognize God’s hand and make a conscious decision to trust and let God rule our own emotions and thoughts—give Him rule.

If I had a nickel for every time I was told, “That’s just the way I am, ” or “I can’t help it,” I’d be out of the financial stress I’m in right now.  Being 50 years old in body and more than 40 in spirit, I’ve been around enough to know that we are as we choose to be. If we live defeated Christian lives, it’s not because God is not able – it is because we enjoy the sins that trip us up enough to revisit them over and over. Granted, some of us have better foundations that enable us to reach toward heaven more successfully than others, but it is our choice as to whether our arms are extended in that direction. Neither God nor man will fault a Christian who grows slowly because they fall easily and often – if they are falling in the direction of the Savior so when they do get up, it’s to walk toward Him. It is he or she who turns toward their sins with a yearning that we ought to identify as unfruitful. Our eyes must be on the Savior to gain His favor, whether it’s while we’re walking toward Him, down on our knees or on our face. (James 1:23-26)

 3. We need to look for contentment—it’s not necessarily a state of mind but a conscious pursuance of God’s grace.

Don’t fool yourself. Those who live a contented, spirit filled life don’t come by it naturally, as if they were born with a silver spoon of spirituality or were anointed from birth as having a supernatural ability to trust God. To trust God is a conscious decision brought on by many a trial and heartache where God has been seen as the Savior and King of all situations. Following God and entrusting your very being in His hands is something to strive for, to prove over and over through the difficult moments of life. Those who strive for peace and contentment brought to them by His hand only are handsomely rewarded with peace in their hearts that cannot be stolen by the craftiest thief. Those who do not strive for His Spirit to control them will always feel alone and defeated.  (Galatians 5:16, 17)

4. The spiritual condition of our hearts will rule our actions—we need to guard our hearts.       

We all have had hardships in our lives. Where one may have lost a loved one, another has lived in poverty or battled a serious illness. We all have our share of pain and heartache, it just comes with different names. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. Those who think they deserve better are in for a big disappointment. It’s not about living a cush, easy life free of pain and suffering. It’s about living our lives with God alongside, bringing Him the glory as we travel the road of hardship. To say you love God and then turn around and demonstrate bitter envying in your behavior presents a conundrum that cannot be explained other than one of deceit. You may be able to fool some, but those who truly know what the love of God is can see through the facade. It’s not worth holding onto. In the end, those who fake the abiding life will be brought out into the light.  (James 1:2-8)

5. True contentment comes from within by God’s working—not a temporary fix by circumstances turning in our favor.

The condition of our hearts are revealed by our actions. Too many times I’ve been told that someone loves God or is trying to live a life for Him, and yet their actions speak a different language.  They claim innocence as they place a blade in the hearts of others. We all know people who are kind and gracious when things are going their way and then turn into bitter, spiteful monsters when the light isn’t shining on them just the right way. These are the ones who lie to themselves as they are lying to others.  A quiet reliance on God is the only way toward genuine contentment, in good or bad circumstances. The true believer who’s walking in the Spirit will have a gracious spirit even when their heart has been ripped in two by another. They have discovered that true peace and contentment comes in looking to Christ for their healing not by anything they do or say or how others treat them or perceive their value. We can judge our own level of God-given contentment by our first reaction, thoughts during, and actions throughout a situation that has caused us to be hurt or disappointed. (Proverbs 22:10)

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén