Do you know, life gets tough?
Did you know, that a lot of days it's far from easy?
Had you noticed, that when you are at your lowest, the devil is trying to just pull you further down?
That he doesn't WANT you to be happy?
That he doesn't WANT you to like your circumstances?
That more than anything else, he wants you to NOT like the plan that God has for you?
Marriage takes work. There are REALLLLLY tough moments.
Moments when you are really not sure about how things are working out.
(*whispers* that's what the devil says to you, anyway, in a quiet, subtle kind of way.)
It's lies, though. ALL lies.
Trials are ALLOWED. Allowed?
Yes, allowed. God allows them to happen. They are meant to be there.
But you have a choice.
WHAT choice? A choice as to whether they HAPPEN?
NO.
You have to choose how to deal with them.
Are you going to deal with them GOD'S way, or YOUR way. (read that as "the sinful way")
There's no such person as a completely sinless and sanctified person. I KNOW that. I am not saying that's how you will be.
But, do you know what? We need to at least TRY!
If God's Word tells us we are to have self-control, then we are to have self-control. Yes, even though our child is having a wobbly, again - even though our spouse may say or do something that we want to give an "I know better" retort back to - even though someone has said something, or done something hurtful to us...AGAIN..... we still need to have self-control in what we think, say and do in return.
If God's Word tells us to love...to love in spite of failures - in spite of the faults of others - in spite of a day being tough - then, we MUST love.
Are you a wife and a mother? THAT'S what you need to get on with doing. There's nothing better out there for you.
Yes, you may be busy from dawn up until sundown (and the rest). But, if it's God's plan for you, is there anything better?
You may have a husband that is busy...who gets to go OUT. Who gets to meet other REAL, GROWN UP PEOPLE! You get to be with the children all day long...
The precious, wonderful, amazing little beings that God has blessed you with. That need you SO much. That will be formed for the future by how you raise them, deal with them, love them. Who are SO blessed by having you there with them. YOU - the MOTHER.
Dear, sweet sister. Do not long for something else. Do not long for the "trials" to be gone.
Embrace the trials. Embrace them as a time to put into practice the words that are given to us by God. As a time to live out the life that we are blessed with, DESPITE the trials.
LIVE a life that demonstrates that godliness WITH contentment....is GREAT gain.
Not just required.
Not just to be endured.
But, GREAT gain.
Keep looking to Jesus.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
1Timothy 6:6
Linking in with A Holy Experience. Did you know, that a lot of days it's far from easy?
Had you noticed, that when you are at your lowest, the devil is trying to just pull you further down?
That he doesn't WANT you to be happy?
That he doesn't WANT you to like your circumstances?
That more than anything else, he wants you to NOT like the plan that God has for you?
Marriage takes work. There are REALLLLLY tough moments.
Moments when you are really not sure about how things are working out.
(*whispers* that's what the devil says to you, anyway, in a quiet, subtle kind of way.)
It's lies, though. ALL lies.
Trials are ALLOWED. Allowed?
Yes, allowed. God allows them to happen. They are meant to be there.
But you have a choice.
WHAT choice? A choice as to whether they HAPPEN?
NO.
You have to choose how to deal with them.
Are you going to deal with them GOD'S way, or YOUR way. (read that as "the sinful way")
There's no such person as a completely sinless and sanctified person. I KNOW that. I am not saying that's how you will be.
But, do you know what? We need to at least TRY!
If God's Word tells us we are to have self-control, then we are to have self-control. Yes, even though our child is having a wobbly, again - even though our spouse may say or do something that we want to give an "I know better" retort back to - even though someone has said something, or done something hurtful to us...AGAIN..... we still need to have self-control in what we think, say and do in return.
If God's Word tells us to love...to love in spite of failures - in spite of the faults of others - in spite of a day being tough - then, we MUST love.
Love....unconditionally.
Love.....unfailingly.
Love....with faith, with hope, with endurance.
What does it all, in essence, boil down to?
The title of this post.
First, seeking to live a godly life. Seeking God's Word about how we ought to behave. How we ought to think. How we ought to speak.
DOING it.
LIVING it.
BEING it.
And, what else?
Being CONTENT.
Accepting our circumstances.
Not seeking something else
ALL.
THE.
TIME.
Yes, you may be busy from dawn up until sundown (and the rest). But, if it's God's plan for you, is there anything better?
You may have a husband that is busy...who gets to go OUT. Who gets to meet other REAL, GROWN UP PEOPLE! You get to be with the children all day long...
The precious, wonderful, amazing little beings that God has blessed you with. That need you SO much. That will be formed for the future by how you raise them, deal with them, love them. Who are SO blessed by having you there with them. YOU - the MOTHER.
Dear, sweet sister. Do not long for something else. Do not long for the "trials" to be gone.
Embrace the trials. Embrace them as a time to put into practice the words that are given to us by God. As a time to live out the life that we are blessed with, DESPITE the trials.
LIVE a life that demonstrates that godliness WITH contentment....is GREAT gain.
Not just required.
Not just to be endured.
But, GREAT gain.
Keep looking to Jesus.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
1Timothy 6:6
Wow Caroline! I'm glad I stopped over at your blog to read this post! Contentment is so difficult sometimes...it is SO EASY to keep looking at what we don't have or what life would be like if only we had such and such. Thank you for visiting my blog www.faithinsmallthings.com I'm following this blog now, great job!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Obeying God is what brings us joy in the end anyway :) Thanks for linking up!
ReplyDeleteouch. Reading this post about an hour after telling my 16 yr old, she changes her ways or she's out, followed by telling my husband if she doesn't go, I will. To be honest, I know God has done amazing things over the past couple of years, but the struggles just never seem to fade.....
ReplyDeleteNaomi - mine are still young, really - these years are still ahead of me. Be encouraged, though. My siblings went through rebellious years, but God had his hand upon them, and either brought them back to himself, or saved them. He IS able. Praying for you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words of truth; learning to be content is so key to our life as a Godly wife and mother, I've been living and learning this everyday!
ReplyDelete