Christian Contentment: Thankful for What Is Right in Front of Me

Sometimes we're so focused on what we can't afford that we miss the blessings God has already provided.

Philippians 4:6-7

[6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Happy Friday!

Thank you, Father, for another Friday.

We've had plans to go to the beach today all week long, and we used it as an incentive for my kids to complete their responsibilities. They did pretty good. I'm excited and looking forward to spending the day exploring and hanging out with my family.

I feel like this is something that pleases the Lord, and I can already feel His hand on it.

Trying to make sure I had all the bases covered, I checked the weather. It's great! I already have my bathing suit on. Then I checked the bank account.

That sucked the joy right out of me.

We need gas, and I had this idea of getting the kids a treat while we were there. The gas alone will use up what I have left.

Now I am faced with a huge decision. I can get angry that I can't even buy my family a simple treat, or I can be thankful that we are extremely blessed to even live near a beach, let alone have darn near perfect weather today.

Truthfully, I had to fight really hard to change my mindset. It was not easy.

In moments like these, are you able to thank God for the things you have and not let the things you can't have ruin them?

I think this is where Christian contentment becomes so important.

We focus on things that we want far too much, and because of that, we can't see the blessings that are already here. This isn't even about buying the best cars, the biggest house, or becoming rich. It's about being content that you can make a stupid sandwich. Being content that your coffee machine makes coffee. Being content that the money in your bank account will actually pay for gas.

That's Christian contentment.

All of this is to say that in every situation, praise God.

It may not be the way you want things to be, but His blessings are still there. Some new glasses may be required to see them, but that's exactly what we need to do. Change our outlook in each situation so we can recognize and be thankful for the great things we have at this very moment.

God loves my kids. He is their perfect Father. How much more does He want to bless them and show them His love?

I need to remember that and thank God for what's right here in front of me, not what's just out of my reach.

Maybe that's one of the greatest lessons of Christian contentment—learning to thank God for today's blessings instead of being

1 Timothy 6:6-10

[6] Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. [7] After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. [8] So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. [9] But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

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