The Secret Of Contentment

Make Me A Vessel 

I've been down to Egypt, I've seen the grinding stone

The wheels and the furnace have crushed these bruised bones.

I know in the passing, I'll never be the same

Polished by the Shepherd and labeled with His name.

Lord make me a vessel, polish and true

I want to be a vessel, useful to You!

I know in the passing, I'll never be the same

Polished by the Shepherd and labeled with His name!

I wrote this little tune, years ago, after reading the book, Hinds Feet In High Places by Hannah Hubbard, to remind me, in adversity, to take joy in what God is doing IN ME, through it! (In scripture, Egypt or the desert was, often, a place related to adversity or trials.) So, when hardships come my way, you can, often, find me singing or humming this little tune to myself. For me, perspective is everything! When my first response, is to be unhappy, with the difficulties of this life, I've preconditioned myself to sing this little song, to remind me that, I can choose to celebrate, right in the middle of the trial! I can choose joy!

My husband, Jim and I, when our daughter, Jill, was little liked a cute little tune on one of her cassette tapes of children's songs. It was on impatience, so, over the years, when Jim or I, or both of us, were feeling impatient, we'd, often, laugh and start singing this little tune! If you live close to our Jill, you'll have to ask her to sing it for you! On the cassette, "the turtle"sang this song very slow and deep! So, we'd laugh, as we did too!

"Be patient, be patient don't be in such a hurry

When you get impatient, you only start to worry.

Remember, remember, that God is patient too

And think of all the times when others had to wait for you!"

Silly, yes! But a preconditioned response, to laugh, praise, or sing puts a different twist on any trial! It's a reminder to choose a right perspective! Memorizing scripture is a great tool that's saved me many, many, many times! There's nothing like putting God's truths in our hearts and minds; they will change how we think and that will change our words and our actions! They are life changing! David, often, put them to song! 

In adversity, our first response, isn't to want to sing with joy! Adversity, which means a state of hardship, affliction, misfortune or a calamitous event, doesn't bring us the "warm fuzzies". At just the thought of it, words like: joy, peace, rest, courage, praise or patience, aren't the ones that come to mind. We think of words like: anger, depression, frustration, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, fear, hurt, pain, impatience ~ the list goes on. Adversity isn't something we enjoy, it feels more like something we just endure! We might not be able to control our circumstances, the adversity or hardships life brings our way, but we can control our response! Our response, begins with our perspective! 

In the news, recently, they described the response of a young college student that has a flesh eating bacteria that is threatening her life. After already having to remove one leg at the hip, the doctors are, now, advising, this young woman and her parents, to allow them to remove both hands and the other foot, as a life saving measure! This student's response was, "Let's do this!" (Even, if out of fear, that's a courageous response! We, immediately, respect her!) 

This kind of adversity shakes us to the core doesn't it? There's no advanced warning system, so we can take cover or find safety! We're in over our heads before we can comprehend all that's happening! But there is one thing we can do to be prepared to stand against anything that this world hands us! Only one thing will always be enough! No, it won't change the adversity, but it will change our response! And perspective and our response can add up in more ways than you think!

We need to learn to tap into God's grace! We need to get His perspective!

Paul, the co-author of 13 epistles, who was called by God to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, says in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been, constantly, on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked."

I would say that Paul was well acquainted with adversity wouldn't you? And before Paul met God on the Damascus road, Paul had handed out plenty of adversity in persecuting those that believed Christ was the Messiah. Paul's life, completely changed when he met the God of grace! God gave Paul a new perspective on life! Paul, then became one of the persecuted, as he too, came to know Christ as Messiah.

Later in Paul's life, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul says, "There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (Paul has learned to DELIGHT in his weaknesses!) That's not a natural response, it's a learned one! 

Pauls says in Philippians 3:12, "I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength."

Paul had learned how to tap into God's grace! In his adversity and hardships, Paul had learned the secret of being content in every situation. He said, "I can do all things through Him (Christ) who gives me strength." Paul's strength, his contentment was found in God! You know alot of people would pay good money for someone to give them that kind of outlook on life! Contentment and peace is something money can't buy ~ but it is free, when you learn how to tap into God's grace! It's free in Christ!

Can we say, with Paul, "I've learned the secret of being content in EVERY situation? Of course, the greater secret is in the application! Contentment is all about perspective!