I was sitting in a state park a few years back, next to a small waterfall from the runoff of a small lake. The noise from the waterfall is a peaceful one. But in the background was the noise of the rushing traffic from the road not too far off. While this may not be the ideal place to get away from it all, it surely is a reminder to me how my life is at times. There is a small piece of me that is at peace, a restful state of mind. And on the other hand there is a large portion of me that is far from any peace. I hear the noise within me, I doesn’t feel any joy or peace but the rustling of noise much like the traffic that isn’t far from the lake. No matter what I do to try to focus on the soothing fall and get lost in the enjoyment. I can’t stay there very long due to the noise which is ever present, that never stops for long. My mind is in the same conflict. One part has given a difficult situation over to God’s care; while the other part is still discontent with what I should do with this portion of my life. What do I do with hurt and disappointment? What do I do with painful lesson that I have been taught? What do I do with contentment and struggle? The waging of a silent battle within me is just like the waterfall and the traffic, contending for my attention. As I look over at the falls I see a lake that is so smooth with hardly a ripple in its body. But here I am stuck in the middle, between the smooth peaceful lake and the constant busyness of the road.
How about you? Do you ever feel as you are stuck in the middle of peace, contentment and joy on one side and the noise of life on the other? How do we stay content when there are so many struggles in life to deal with each and every day? How do we handle our problems, pain and hurts without becoming discontent? On the other hand how do we live in contentment without being complacent, lazy and passive to change? If that isn’t enough, how do we stay content without being lazy in our spiritual walk and not become at ease with sin in our lives? At times I have used the word content to avoid dealing and pushing away pain and loneliness. Instead of contentment, I was looking for satisfaction. I was longing to live a life of painless relationships. But contentment does not mean that we are free or absent from pain, misery and loneliness. It does mean we are to accept the pain, misery and loneliness and that God is with us among it. That we do accept His will and wait on Him. He desires to fill us up. He wants to fill us up instead of feeling lonely, but we are not alone with Him. God looks to show us His peace in those times but we must look to Him to have it. We cannot have peace and joy that last if we don’t look at being contentment. We must first experience contentment with God. If we look to others and experience to fill the void then we will continually experience discontentment.
Paul speaks of contentment in Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
When I read these verses I am relieved. One reason is that I can let go of the idea that when I became a Christian I should automatically be content. Paul used the words, “I have learned.” He didn’t come out of baptismal water with the feeling of contentment. He had to learn it. It is a process in our Christian faith, we grow into it. If Paul who was an apostle had to learn to be content, we also need to learn such a discipline. We are not left alone to somehow obtain such a lesson, because at the end of the verse we see where Paul gains his strength to endure hardships, trials and temptations. We have the same source to receive it also, the Scripture states: I can do all things through him (Christ) who strengthens me. We look to the cross; we must look to Christ for our strength. I know I can’t do it on my own. When I do I fail to have any contentment unless it is through Christ Jesus.
Now let’s return to the lake for a moment. As I look at the falls I notice that it is a constant flow. It doesn’t rise at times while at other times it doesn’t have a source of water. It is an even flow of water throughout the day. Only when a storm comes by does it flow with exceedingly more. It is the same with our lives. Think of the waterfall as grace given to us by God. It follows us and runs ahead of us at a constant rate. It is always there, never running out. When the storms of life hit, the grace comes with an abundance to help us through it. God is always there even when we don’t feel His presence. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “Will we go to Him for strength, peace and contentment?” If the answer is yes, then we will learn as Paul did, if not, we will struggle and live a discontented life. So look to Christ to help you know peace, joy and contentment. It goes against our human nature when we follow Him. It may be tough to do what God is calling us to do. It may even go against reason, but we must first realize our ways haven’t worked. He may even call you to change your attitude towards someone, do things for others you don’t want to do or even love someone in ways that seems impossible. That is why it is called a cross. It puts to death our human nature. It puts to death our desires for self-protection, self-will and gives life to the spirit. We must die daily to ourselves. So will you pick up your cross and follow Him? Or will you continually do what hasn’t worked in the past. That choice is yours to make.
