I used to hate where I live. When I was engaged to my husband, I knew that after we got married I’d be moving to the tiny town where he lived. I contemplated whether it’s really all that necessary for married people live together. (It is.) So I moved- and we knew no one. There was nothing to do. I’d constantly look at houses for sale in other towns, and I’d always ask my husband if any jobs had posted elsewhere. I had NO CLUE what contentment was. Since then, God has taught me so many lessons that I want to share with you today. Here are 5 of the lessons God has taught me on being truly content.
1. I am a temple of God.
I am a temple of God in the most amazing city in the world. I am a temple of God in the worst place in existence. The all powerful true and living God of the universe lives in me- everywhere I go. So, if I truly (not just say I do, and not just think I do, but truly) get all my joy, peace, strength, and satisfaction from the Lord, then I should always be content at heart because the Lord is in me.
2. Changing my location doesn’t change my heart’s position.
Have you ever met a runner/quitter? Runners give up at the slightest signs of stress, and when they give up one thing and move on to the next, they still aren’t fulfilled or satisfied, so they run from that, too. The reason is that dissatisfied people are dissatisfied wherever they go. We love to say “if & when this happens, then I will finally have ____.” I give you permission to throw that thought out of the window. It’s usually more truthful that we will have ____ when we get our hearts right. Getting the heart right happens through simply seeking Jesus, making him our Lord and our every desire.
3. God has commissioned me here.
I know that God had a plan for my husband and I moving here. I can see his hand all over every step that he took to bring us where we are now. It’s so obvious. But I can’t do anything for His kingdom here if I do not LOVE the place I am called to serve in. If I do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:2) I have to have God’s vision for the place I am sent, and not just for the people, but the geographical area, too. God gave me this very simple revelation one day. He said, “You know I made this place, too, right? The dreams that are planted and birthed in this little town are just as big and important as the ones in those places you think are bigger and better.” God totally put me in my place. Pun intended.
4. God equips where he appoints.
God has a plan. Always. In my first months here, all I could see was my situation. I couldn’t see God’s plan like I do now that some of it has come to pass. But he had one, and all I had to do was listen to Him and go where he called me. It was easy. I said yes to attending a small group that a friend (shoutout to Allison Riley) invited me to even though it was in a town 40 mins away. Yay! God gave me people! Then, I started going to the church that they all went to. That church already had plans for a satellite campus in my town. So we moved to that local small group and started serving and became involved in the planting of the church. God gave us more people! A family! We started leading in that church- more relationships! More purpose! At each step God gave us more family, more community, and more purpose, and now we gladly call this place home. And, most importantly, He drew us closer to Him every step of the way- which brings me back to point number one- Our contentment truly comes from God. But, His plan was never to leave us lonely and dissatisfied and without community, because He’s a GOOD Father.
So, if you are dealing discontentment in a certain area of your life, I urge you to listen to His voice and follow what He tells you, because He already has plans to equip you where he has planted you.
5. Contentment breeds blessing.
So, my sister is just blessed. A lot of people like to throw that word around, and that’s when I start talking about my sister because I am a one-upper and she’s super blessed. She has the best marriage out of anyone I know, and God has seriously just given her a free truck before when she needed one. Completely free…and not an old ugly truck- a really nice truck. Anyway, today we were talking about how people get to that place where the blessing and favor of God just pours out over them. And I said I thought obedience probably had to do with it. She said “I think for us, it’s about contentment more than obedience. I think it’s just being content with what you have, because it’s definitely possible to be obedient but hate what you are doing, and what’s the point of serving God like that?” We talked about how contentment actually equips us to be more obedient and positions us to be able to receive all that He has to give us. I thought this was so important- the Word says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10) I really think that this verse is applicable here- If we aren’t content with some of God’s blessings, why should God give us more?
Obviously, I am still learning. That last lesson I learned just today. But I am so grateful for all God has taught me and how He helped me overcome much of my discontentment. Mine was a location…for some of us it’s a marriage, a relationship, or a job that God has called us to. Whatever it is, I hope that this can help those struggling to settle in where God has purposed and planned for us to be.
