Dave’s Monday Blast — December 22, 2014

Merry Christmas My Brothers!

One of the most profound passages in all of scripture is found in Philippians 4:11-13. The Apostle Paul declared that “I have learned to be content (more than just to be satisfied, it means to flourish) in whatever circumstances I am…” Does that concept challenge you as much as it does me?

God has provided us with many things to enjoy. We should not find contentment to be so elusive. The season reminds us of this truth. But too often our lives are filled with turmoil instead of contentment. Dr. Charles Stanley reminds us of four practices that create dissatisfaction:

1. Busyness. Yikes…bad time of the year to bring this up. We live in a hurry-up society, dashing from one activity to another like we are dashing through the snow. Have you ever noticed that Jesus never rushed anywhere, yet He accomplished whatever God gave Him to do. Not once did He tell His followers to MOVE FASTER! He even praised Mary for choosing to stop her work and spend time with Him (Luke 10:39,42).

2. Earthly perspective. Too often we live focused on our circumstances. Our minds think about what happened earlier in the week, what’s on the agenda today, and the activities occurring next week, month,or year. No wonder content with today remains elusive. The solution to have an eternal perspective, which acknowledges that God is in charge and our goal is to please Him.

3. Self-imposed pressure. We have all experienced the unavoidable burdens of schoolwork, employment, and relationships. But we bring needless pressure on ourselves when we allow unnecessary “musts” and “should’s” to rule us. The remedy is to turn to God, acknowledge His right to order our days, and ask for His plan.

4. Unhealthy attitudes. Perfectionism, false guilt, and apathy all undermine our ability to be content.

Here is the truth…satisfaction is found in a life that reflects God’s priorities and time with Him comes first. Note, I said time with Him not time spent for Him. While that is important…it is the time spent WITH HIM that allows us to flourish. We do this by spending time in His Word, in prayer, in silence before Him; we become mindful of the Father’s great love, learn what He views as important, and experience the joy of belonging to Him.

If you have found that contentment is elusive…you must INTENTIONALLY examine your priorities!