Contentment requires hard choices. In Philippians 4, Paul tells us he had to learn the secret of being content. And that secret is a hard learning process. After my accident in which I became paralyzed, my occupational therapist taught me how to feed myself using arm-splints. Many times, I felt like giving up because more applesauce landed in my lap than in my mouth. But I had to make a hard choice. Was I going to let embarrassing failure stop me? Never. I kept choosing the hard path of lifting that heavy spoon to my mouth. I never got back the use of my hands, but I did learn to feed myself. And what’s more, I learned to be content. If you are feeling restless in a painful situation, learn the secret: make choices over and over to trust God. And keep trusting, even when it’s hard. You will find contentment right around your corner.
|