"Contentment Is NOT Automatic"

"Contentment is NOT automatic", 

my Pastor declared as he led us into the Word of God on Sunday.  

"The Salvation life says that we can enjoy life even when it is not enjoyable."

Paul shows us in Philippians 4:11-15

... for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 

 I know how to be brought low, and I know ho w to abound.  

In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 

 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Contentment is a learning process.  Repetition is important to that learning process.  Although we don't want to go through the same thing over and over again, God uses repetition in our lives so that we can learn and grow.  "Developing a salvation life is not a static process but one of constant growth and movement through the process of life."

"I hate this house!" declared my brother, as he slammed through the cupboards looking for something to eat.  "I can make homemade brownies!  I tried to encourage.  

My family and I grew up with a variety of difficulties but one thing remained the theme throughout all of our struggles, God's faithful provision over our lives.  

My parents divorced when I was a little girl and we left a posh neighborhood in Petaluma California to a small community in Clinton Iowa.   I remember sleeping on the floor of the passenger's seat in the U-haul truck as we drove across country to live with my grandparents.  

We settled into life in Iowa and when my mom decided to stay home with us kids, my adoptive dad lost his job and we in turn lost our house.  We moved  to the country to live in a trailer and I have very clear memories of our drives to school in a VW bug with no heat.  

We attended a Christian school only because we were the janitors, which meant everyday after school my dad would come and my brother and I would help him clean.  Often times this meant me cleaning the boy's restroom while my peers were still in the building.  

Our Saturdays were consumed with cleaning the school for most of the day.  Burning trash on the cold Illinois mornings with a cup of black coffee while spending time with my mom was a treat for me.

The early 1980's  recession made life difficult for our family to maintain good transportation, food, and clothing.  

Then God called my parents to move to Ohio and so we packed up our meager belongings and left Illinois.  When we arrived in Ohio we had to live in a trailer of a family who was on summer vacation  in hopes that we would find jobs and a home before they returned to the Bible college where my dad would attend in the fall.

My parents struggled to find employment and before long the whole family was picking blueberries to eek out a living in this new town.  My brother was about 17 at that time and he would skip through the blueberry bushes singing the Smurf's theme song.

Life was not easy as we found a large colonial home that was infested with fleas and impossible to heat due to a lack of insulation and income.  We would gather together and sleep in the same room at night because a thick frost accumulated on the inside of our upstairs windows.  Our refrigerator was usually bare except for government cheese and potatoes.  We didn't have a stove and we only had mattresses to sleep on.  

Despite all of the struggles we faced, my parents trusted God and God proved to be faithful time and time again.  As my parents committed their lives to the church, we continued to endure hardships all along the way but God was training us to be content.  

I have such fond memories of those years of difficulty, although I can still remember being hungry and cold and flea bitten.  My parents kept their eyes on Jesus and He was the source of their hope and strength.  

Like Paul, I have learned to be content.  The struggles my family and I face now are no match for the deep trust and contentment that I find in the Lord but I didn't come to this place over night.  I went through years of difficulty and learned along the way.

Paul's secret to contentment is found in Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 

whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, 

if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  

What you have learned and received and heard and 

seen in me- practice these things, 

and the God of peace will be with you.

As we look at the purity and loveliness of Jesus, 

we can learn to be content in all things.  

My parents trained us to take risks for God and to make everything an adventure as well as to use humor to alleviate the stress that came from a life of lack.  They practiced looking for  Jesus in every situation.  They just kept thanking God and following His lead despite the great difficulties and despite what their family thought.  

After I was grown my mother wrote a college paper comparing my brother and I's response to our life of difficulty.  Where my brother viewed everything in a negative light, I was the eternal optimist that brought encouragement and strength to my mother's weary heart.  

Abba, we thank you for the repetitive nature of our struggles because we know that repetition is imperative to learning.  In order for us to be content we must learn that You alone are the One who provides true security and peace.  We thank you God for not allowing us to suppose that the path of great gain is godliness but that godliness with contentment is great gain!  We brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we will bring nothing out so, help us keep our eyes and hearts tuned to what Jesus is doing and saying through our circumstances so that we can learn to be content by practicing what we think about!