Contentment

I received an email from a friend today that was a great reminder to me.  (Thanks, Heather!)  She told me about being inspired by K-Love to choose a word for the year, and her word is "contentment."  She went on to say that she has been praying that she will be content wherever she is, no matter what she is doing, instead of wanting different circumstances.

This was so encouraging to me.  What a fantastic way of looking at things!  So often I get discouraged, and I spend so much time asking God to change things to make me happy.  However, perhaps my prayer should be for God to change me instead of my circumstances, so that I will "grow" wherever I am "planted."

When I take time to stop and reflect on my journey thus far, I'm overwhelmed at how God has worked in my life despite my shortcomings.  Even when I put myself in the way, He works His perfect plan!  Unfortunately, I don't always take that time to look back- I tend to be too caught up in the "here and now."  I get so frustrated with my current circumstances- Why do I have to work?  Why can't we have more money?  Why don't we have more "stuff"?  Why can't I stay home and just be mommy?

Shame on me!  I should be more than content with life- I should be downright overjoyed at the opportunities God has given me!  I am blessed to work in a Christian environment, surrounded by other believers, sharing God's word daily with young people and discipling them to be more like Him.  My daughters are right down the hall where I can see them anytime I want, and they are being taught the Truth.  In my time here, I've seen several students come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and I've even had the privilege of leading some of them in the sinner's prayer.  Because of this "circumstance" that I so often gripe about, my own daughter has given her life to Jesus.  So what reason do I have to complain?

This year my students and I studied the book of Esther.  Although God's name is not mentioned in the book, it is an incredible story of encouragement, a reminder that God is always at work.  It tells of how He is faithful and true to those who love Him, and how He uses His people to carry out His plans.  My prayer is that I will be one of those people He is able to use... that I will learn to be content wherever He leads, in any and all circumstances.  Only He knows if I am where I am "for such a time as this."