On Being Content

Heb 13:5, Phil 4:11 Jos 7:7

The Lord has been contending with me with contentment for a couple of months now. It actually started with my daughter learning about purity and being content where God has her now. God speaks to us when were are listening, but not always about what we are listening for.

Before I had believed to "Be content with such things as ye have..." (Heb 13:5) meant material things and I mostly don't have a problem there. However, God has shown me that he means all sorts of "things" material, physical, emotional, spiritual. Now we should not be content to not be growing spiritually, however my discontentment was showing in what I perceived my husbands spiritual growth to be. I mean I was basing my spiritual staleness on my husbands leadership. I had ideas of how my husband should be leading our family spiritually. Wow, I had not seen this coming, but I had to admit it was so true. God knows our hearts. I confessed my sin to God and to my hubby. I made a commitment to not compare my hubby to other men, to not read things that would cause me to be discontent, to pray for his (dh's) spiritual growth for his (dh's) sake and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

I knew that when we make new commitments to God that satan usually attacks, so I was prepared for praying and reading scripture, and resisting the devil so he will flee from me. Wow, was I knocked for a loop when satan attacked my hubby instead of me. Satan twisted my words in my hubby's mind and told him "She is only settling for you". Well we had some very late night talks for the next several nights with much confession and prayer, and as a result became closer as a couple and closer to God.

God has done some amazing things in our life through this. Anyway, the contentment issue came up again last night at The Basic Seminar. This time I started thinking about my desire to have another baby. Could I be content to never have another child. Well the message was that God desires the best for us, and can we see the best in our situation and thank God for where we are. The suggestion was to make a 2 lists of the advantages of both sides, so that we can be content and see God's blessing/purpose in His will. So here is mine. It is not exhaustive, and some of my reasons are selfish, but honest.

Advantages of No More Children/Advantages of Having Another Child
More time to spend with the Lord (Reading, Praying, Studying, Serving) / Adding to the "Christian" population

More time to sew, keep home,be a helpmeet. / Raising more Godly seed to impact the world

More able to concentrate on homeschooling and training the children I already have. /A younger sibling for a companion for the next youngest. And to teach him compassion and selflessness, and so he won't be spoiled.

Save money (medical bills, extra car seat, another chair, etc) /Psalm 127

Sleep / A new baby to love, cuddle, nurse.

Not having to worry about pregnancy complications, birth defects / A purpose for the next 18 years.

Okay, so my list is even though somewhat flawed. I know that I have responsibilities past 18 years, I know that we can have other expenses come up and that God is in control of that. I know I may not get to sleep anyway. I know that I cannot guarantee that my children will be saved. And for anyone with a special baby: I know that they are huge blessings and that God gives generous helpings of the fruits of the spirit for them.

May God bless all who read this with a spirit of contentment.