Consider the Lilies
Learning Contentment - a Lifetime Endeavor
Luke 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
“The place of our habitation is fixed, and we are not to remove from it out of whim and caprice but seek to serve the Lord in it, by being a blessing to those among whom we reside.” - Charles H. Spurgeon
When we have learned contentment, we will have mastered life. Instead of restlessness, there is peace. Instead of chaos, there is calm. Instead of worry, there is trust.
Be careful (anxious) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
For most of us, this is a lesson that must be learned over and over throughout our lifetime.
Wait
So often, God says, “Wait. Don’t get ahead of me on this. You still have things to learn right where you are.”
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
This is the same concept we use for someone waiting tables in a restaurant.
A savvy waiter continually looks at his/her customers for hand signals that they might need something and will promptly take care of the need. More often than not, these servers are rewarded handsomely in tips.
So then, you may ask, is it ever OK to seek a better work opportunity, or move to a different location, either across town, or country, or even another continent?
The answer is, “It depends”.
If it is “not now”, are you content to stay put and do what you are currently doing until the answer changes? If not, then maybe you’re seeking a change for the wrong reasons.
In the forty-two years we have been married, my wife and I have made five major decisions and changes involving long-distance moves. The first two were the result of impatience and discontentment.
I learned the hard way that these are poor reasons to make major life changes.
We “prayed about it” (wink/nod) each time, but then moved forward assuming it was the right thing to do. We acted without waiting for clarity.
James, in his general epistle to the scattered Christians, addresses this subject:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”. Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” - James 4:13 -15
Yes, I know, like Abraham of old, sometimes we must take major steps not knowing where it will lead. The difference is that he knew it was what God wanted. Just praying, and then moving on without clear direction is not the same.
Our third move landed us in Ohio.
For the next sixteen years, as we experienced bitter Winters and multiple job changes, I prayed. God used this time to temper my impatience and discontentment.
Our goal was always to settle back in South Carolina, but with a growing family, I realized that I couldn’t just pick up and move. There were other lives that would be impacted now.
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation (life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
When we did finally make it back to South Carolina, the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this move made it abundantly clear that it was, indeed, of God.
The opportunity presented itself only when I was prepared and ready to take advantage of it.
But, He was not finished with us even then.
Our every intention was to retire and live out our days on our beautiful five-acre slice of Heaven.
Then, after eleven years of being completely satisfied with all aspects of our lives, a curve ball was thrown our way. This time God called us to leave a place of perfect contentment.
I didn’t understand it all. Yes, we were puzzled and disappointed, but I had experienced enough of how God moves in our lives to trust Him and not to question things too deeply.
As it turned out, when the time came, my wife became a full-time caregiver of her Dad, who was suffering from Dementia. Her parents lived two and a half hours away in the Upstate region of South Carolina. She was rarely able to come home and even then it was a quick visit.
Some of our children and grandchildren also lived in the Upstate area, so we began praying for clarity about retiring there instead.
We had a peace about it that made it an easy decision. We knew it was the right choice.
Because we were willing to give up what we thought was our dream retirement home to serve Him where He led us, God was so gracious to provide a lovely rural property with a wonderful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A bonus is that three of our children and eight of our grandkids live close by.
I am saying all this, not because I think we deserve any of it, but to illustrate how God gives us the desires of our hearts when it mirrors His desire for us.
My only regret is that it has taken me nearly 40 years to learn this lesson.
If you do not have that sort of relationship with God, may I humbly ask you to consider His invitation:
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. - Psalm 34:8
Thank you for subscribing to Life UnCorked where the focus is on successfully navigating the issues of life from a Christian point of view.
While you’re here, check out my creative writing ‘Stack: The Talking Pen, where you’ll find fiction & non-fiction stories, poetry, art, and personal musings that illustrate the hopes, fears, tragedies, and triumphs of life.
Thanks for sharing this. A lot of it reminds me of my own experience. A lot of wisdom here.
Man plans and God laughs. Asking for his will and trusting him to lead us forward and through is a lesson I am still learning. Thank you for your inspiring posts.