3 Remedies To Keep Your Contentment

Do you ever have what my friend Lauren calls a MOMENT?

You know what I mean?

Everything is just “fine” and then you get triggered.
Something hits you sideways and you have a MOMENT.

Maybe you had a Facebook moment when you saw that
you weren’t included in a party or conversation or outing.

Maybe you had a home improvement moment
as you watched all the options HGTV had to offer.

Maybe you had a Pinterest moment when you
tried your best to recreate the image on your computer screen
and it was an unrecognizable failure.

Maybe you had a travel moment when you had high expectations of
Swanky Suites but ended up at Bob’s Sleep Palace?

Maybe it was
your car, or
your house, or
your kids, or
your boss, or
your husband, or
your scale, or
your mirror …
and you just had a MOMENT!

The MOMENT dissolved your contentment.

My MOMENT came at the Tax Guy’s office.
Bear in mind, 2015 was my first year as a full-time speaker and author.
I thought it was a good first year, but Tax Guy told me that at my age,
it was the worst year EVER!

He even suggested I find a “real job”.

Instead of looking toward 2016 with excitement and hope,
I had a MOMENT and
my Contentment asked my Confidence for a date
and they took off for parts unknown.

The evil twins,
Discouragement and Dissatisfaction,
moved in to take their place.

I saw my world through their viewfinder.

My car is rusting.
My house is old.
My bank account isn’t multiplying,
but my weight and wrinkles are!

I’m sure this happens to you, too.

Christians aren’t so different than anyone else.
We have desires and dreams but we get derailed when contentment is lost.

To wrangle contentment back in place,

1. Be thankful.

Make a list of 100 things that you have to be thankful for.
100 things!
I’m issuing the challenge to go beyone 100.
When you consider all you have, the things you don’t have will diminish in necessity.

2. Stop comparing and start cheering!

Many of us lose our contentment –
Not because WE aren’t doing well,
but because others are doing better!

When I have a MOMENT due to comparisons,
I deliberately choose to cheer for the object of my contention comparison.
Being outwardly focused alleviates the angst.

3. Refocus the story.

Look at what is going right, or moderately well, or mostly okay and focus on that.

I may not have been invited on the Today show.
I didn’t achieve best seller status,
so Tax Guy called me a failure.
But!
In God’s economy I had a great year!

I talked at 44 events encouraging over 5000 women to trust Jesus more.
My book The Widow Wore Pink: A True Story of Life After Loss and the Transforming Power of a Loving God came out in September and sold nearly 2000 copies by year end.
My bottom line is thin,
but I am in the center of God’s call and loving it.

Make your story, HIS story.

A final thought on contentment.

Being content doesn’t mean settling for less than God has for you.
It doesn’t mean tolerating sin or abuse toward you.
If change for the better is within your grasp, go for it!

Contend for more!

But if you’re stuck (for the moment or the season) where you are,
Then be content till change is at hand.

Scripture Refresher: And Paul says, …“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength..”  Philippines 4:12-13 NIV

Prayer: God, Teach me the difference between contentment and complacency. Show me when to settle in and when to contend at all cost.  Guide me as only you can to peace. Amen.