Contentment, words of wisdom

For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content, - Philippians 4:11

 Lately it has been very trying at work and I have struggled with muttering and complaining about how rushed, overloaded and just plain disgusted I get with some of my bosses who don't seem to understand that there is not enough hours in the day to complete all that is expected of us to get done.   Now,having said that,this morning I picked up my devotional book and I read the following from Spurgeon

"These words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. weeds grow easily. Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We do not need to sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth. And so we do not need to teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. In order to have wheat, we must plow and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener's care. Now, contentment is one      of the flowers of heaven,  and if we would have it, it must be cultivated;it will not grow in us by nature. It is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even  then  we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace that God   has sown in us. Paul says, "I have learned.... to be content,"as much as to say he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to discover that great truth. No doubt  he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. And when at  last he had attained to it and could say, " I have  learned in whatsoever  situation I am to be content," he was an old, gray-headed man, upon the borders of the grave---a poor prisoner shut up in Nero's dungeon at Rome. We might well be willing to endure Paul's infirmities and share the cold dungeon with him, if we also might by some means attain to his good stature. Do not indulge the notion that you can be contented with learning or learn without discipline. It is not a power that may be exercised naturally but a science to be acquired gradually. We know this from experience. Christians, hush that murmur, even though it is natural, and continue as a diligent pupil in the College of Contentment."

I needed to read that, and found myself checking my attitude of contentment several times today. 

MERCY OUTRUNS MALICE

My devotional for today was so inspiring that I just had to share it.
Luke 22:32  "I have prayed for You".
How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never-ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, He pleads for us; and when we are not praying, He is advocating our cause,and by His supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter---"Simon. Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but"----What?  "But go and pray for yourself"? That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does He say, "But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved." That would be a great blessing. No, it is, "But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." We little know what we owe to our Savior's prayers. When we reach the hilltops of heaven and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God has led us, how we shall praise Him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief that Satan was doing upon earth. How we shall thank Him because He never held His peace but day and night pointed tot he wounds upon His hands and carried our names upon His breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forstalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice.  Consider,He does not say, " Satan hath desired to have you." He checks Satan even in his very desire and nips it in the bud. He does not say, "But I have desired to pray for you." No, but  "I have prayed for you---- I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before and accusations is made."
O Jesus, what a comfort it is that You have pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; You have unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for  joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.

Happy Valentine Day

Linger Just a Moment Longer

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:20b (NIV)

Devotion:
Breathe in every moment of your day today.Recognize what a gift today is.Grab someone you love and let your embrace linger just a moment longer.Take mental pictures of the toothless grin of your baby, the tousled hair of your toddler, the crooked smile of your teenager. Hold your husband's hand.Look past the dirty dishes in the sink, the laundry piled high, the stuff the kids left out and see the beauty entangled in all this evidence of life.And thank God for it all. Right now, in this second, see the blessing.I guess I am in a reflective mood this week because I sat beside a family that so unexpectedly had to say goodbye to their Dad and husband. One minute the mom and daughters rushed past him giggling their way to the mall. I imagine the typical quick, "Love ya, see ya."

Less than an hour later, he was riding his bike when a car veered across the center lane and struck and killed him in front of my home.

The next day the family came over to my house and together we prayed at the place where his body was found.
So many questions. So many tears. As we sat in the circle surrounded by broken bicycle parts, pressed down grass, and police paint marks - it all just seemed so unbelievable. My neighbor Holly and I prayed and hoped that somehow through our fragile words the peace of Jesus would fill the gaping holes in their hearts.The thing that seemed to bring them the most comfort was knowing that we never left the scene of the accident. The minute we realized there was a cyclist involved, we started praying. We realized this was not just a victim -- this was someone's Daddy. Someone's husband. Someone's friend. We were there when they pronounced him dead on the scene. We stayed until the accident was cleared and the coroner came and took his body. He was never alone. Not so much because we were there but because Jesus was there. I pray they know this.Isn't this what every soul needs to know?The very last words of Jesus recorded in the gospel of Matthew is, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." I have no idea what I might face, today, tomorrow, next week, or next year. No idea. Experiencing something like this forces you to see the stark reality of the brevity of life.So, I will breathe in every moment of my day today.I will recognize what a gift today is.I will grab those I love and let my embrace linger just a moment longer.I will take mental pictures.I will hold my husband's hand.And I will thank my Jesus for the gift of one more day.
Dear Lord, I recognize you are with me and those that I love. Thank you for this comfort. Please open my eyes to all my blessings today. Cement in my heart what a gift today really is. And may I never take for granted those I love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


This was one of the devotions I read today, which I felt was so worth posting, especially for Valentines Day, very well written by Lysa TerKurst.