By Judy Villanueva
Philippians 4:11-12
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.
“As soon as God comes through for me and heals ‘this’ area of my life or provides ’that’ answer to prayer then, I’ll be content! I’ll never doubt Him again and I’ll finally be happy!” Sound familiar? Tying contentment to circumstances can be a slippery slope. If you are anything like me, my favorite solution to any and all angst usually involves getting what I think I need now. But, IF I’ll make a little room for my discontentment to do its work, I just may find myself tripping over my truest and deepest longing, the one that is always reaching for God and touched by His presence!
The secret of contentment that Paul speaks of seems to be unraveled by the imperfect and discontented places of life.
They remind us that our souls ache to be filled! I’ve often wondered if God didn’t create the five senses so that we can physically experience a foretaste of fullness. Good food, sweet melodies, and inspiring vistas help us to know what it is to be satisfied. Likewise, feeling hungry or empty, bored or lonely can motivate us to reach beyond the here and now for the ONE who is able satisfy our souls deep cry for love. We were made for His presence and in His company we find the secret of contentment.
Today, as I shoveled snow off the driveway, I looked up and noticed I was being showered with the fluffiest, most beautiful snowflakes! In this unexpected midlife moment, I felt like a child playing outside, caught up in the beauty and magic of what felt like a living snow globe! I looked over at my husband, who was also helping to relocate millions of snowflakes, and felt Grace enfold me. It drew me into an acute awareness of God’s goodness and seemed to sift out worry and offer me a cupful of joy!
All of a sudden, I felt lucky and aware of what IS blessings my life, rather than what ISN’T.
I stood there with my face toward heaven and my arms stretched out, so as not to miss one ounce of the Grace that was falling all around me!
“Father, thank You that You want to be my place of deep and residing contentment. Help me to follow my longings to Your heart that waits for me. Thank you for always waiting and reaching for me. Amen.”
What about you?
When did you last feel full and content?
Where and how are you now discontent?
What helps you feel close to God?
Have you experienced the secret of being content?
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I loved this one Judy 
Reminds me to see beauty and joy no matter what situation He has planned for me~ Xo
This is a beautiful picture of a moment of contentment. Those times of precious freedom and joy from all worry and angst are so unique. It makes me long for heaven, when contentment will be the rule, not the exception. Thanks for writing this, Judy!
When I was young I thought to be fulfilled I had to be happy, but as I got older I
realized contentment was better. Happiness is great, but it usually happens at special times, special events, special holidays, and I still love those times, and I’m grateful for them.
Contentment, for me, now is practically all the time, and it is a nice feeling. Contentment, is the presence of God in my daily life, and all is well in my world.
Discontentment happens if there is a sadness in my family, and I mean my entire
family. Even then God waves the sad memories, and life continues, and so does
contentment. …..Thank God.
You have asked such a revealing question: what is my discontentment saying to me or about my heart? And you gave me pause to consider letting discontentment do its work in my heart. It’s akin to God allowing discomfort to do it’s revealing work. Do both discontentment and discomfort speak to where I find my security and identity?
Thank you dear Judy for this. I do needed this today. Such a gift!! Tommy’s song has touched me over the last couple of months. Makes me stop wrestling with me and rest in his loving arms just like this devotion. Love u
Thank you Judy for making me stop and cherish the contentment in my life and that it can only come from our Sovereign Lord. We can’t muster it up on our own. It comes from realizing that everything comes from Him and we are saved from our sin through His Son He sent to take our sin on himself and die the death we should have died. AMAZING GRACE? Contentment is living in thankfulness for ALL He has done for us that we don’t deserve. Nothing in this world can bring contentment. Discontent comes when I take my eyes off Jesus. Tommy’s song is beautiful?
I think contentment has a lot to do with acceptance. I have been thinking a lot about acceptance lately. I am only really content when I accept my own imperfections, my own inability to change other people, LOL, and other people’s freedom to make their own mistakes. As a mother, I really cannot lead my kids’ lives. Shocking I know, but somehow I forget this little fact quite often. They have to be, for better or worse the people who make those choices. When I step back and look at them as a fellow traveler, a person who has struggles (which I am not totally to blame for BTW) as well as strengths (which I cannot claim as the result of my great mothering LOL), I can relax and put them more completely in God’s hands. The other day, in the car, I was just listening to my son share about his life and I had that deep feeling of contentment that saw him for what he was, a great young man who is struggling to figure it all out. I could in that moment just rejoice in who God made him to be and let everything else go. It was great! Thanks Judy for your wonderful insights!