Happiness or Contentment:that is the question

For those of your who have read previous blogs. I've been going to an AWESOME church here in LA. The Lord was so faithful to lead Martie and I to a wonderful group of believers. To elaborate a little more I wanted to share what I learned on Sunday. I think it's a message for each and every person to hear!

We as people often strive and want to be happy. You've often heard if _____ is happy, then everyone's happy. The question, Rankin (the pastor at Pacific Crossroads), brought to my attention is does the Lord desire for me to happy or to be content.

So what does it mean to be content you ask?

"Contentment is a sweet, inward, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God’s will, whatever that will may be." Jeremiah Burroughs

WOW, don't we all want this to be said about us? If you don't consider yourself to be content, then you are discontent. With discontentment comes grumbling and complaining. Grumbling/complaining is a true reflection of thoughts and feelings of discontentment with whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.  Discontentment hurts the heart of God. When we are discontent we aren't trusting Him!

Since most of us find ourselves discontent,  Rankin shared 4 lies that fuel discontentment. Before I share them, I want to explain what will follow. When I find myself believing lies from the enemy, as a  believer, I should seek the TRUTH! I wish I could say I always do this, but I don't. Nonetheless, I am going to take time and refute these lies with Truth from the Word of God!

4 Lies that fuel discontentment:

1. God is holding out on me

" No good thing does He withold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11 Simple truth. Now we only have to choose to believe it.

2. God owes me.

As Americans, we are raised to believe we are entitled to....."life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Hmm, there's that word happiness again.  The Bible says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 We are all sinners thus we all deserve death. May this realization break our mindset of entitledness and usher us into a spirit of thankfulness of the GIFT of eternal life.

3. The IF ONLY game

You know the drill. "If only, I had this___" "If only ____" "If only ____" and so the list could go on for miles. We spend our time and energy wishing, wanting, and waiting for ______.  Rather than being content with  what we have, what our situation is we desire more.

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." Isaiah 55:2

We spend our lives trying to achieve ____ when in reality it will NEVER satisfy our deepest longing. Seek the Father to be satisfied!

4. I know what's best for me

"you knitted me together in my mother's womb, I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13

The very one who created you and me. Before the world began knew exactly what is best for us. He created us and formed us uniquely to #1 bring Him glory, but He chooses to show His great love to us throughout this life.

The sermon had LOTS of other content, but I wanted to share this portion with everyone. The Father "has no greater joy than to hear that His children are walking in the truth" 3 John 1:4 May we walk in this truth and all strive to one day be able to say as Paul did in Philippians 4:12

"I know how to be brought low,

and I know how to abound.

In any and every circumstance,

I have learned the secret of facing

plenty and hunger,

abundance and need."