Have you ever considered what makes a budget work? Have you wondered why some people succeed financially and others do not? I believe the real secret lies in learning to be content.
According to Dictionary.com contentment is the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind. In other words, you are mentally or emotionally satisfied with things and are willing to accept circumstances.
This means that it is okay if I live in a 1,000 square foot house or a 5,000 square foot house. As long as I find my contentment in the Lord and my relationship with Him, I can be okay with what life brings my way.
As Psalm 37:7 tells us “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” Rather we are to keep the covenant of Yahweh and He will provide for us.
Psalm 132:11-16 “The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”
And Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Why do we find these promises in Scripture, because the faithful and righteous seek ye first the Kingdom of God! How do I find contentment in this world so focused on the temporal?
- I must make a daily contentious choice to be content with what the Lord has given me.
- Find thankfulness in the little things.
- Make sure you say thank you when someone does something for you like handing you that pen just out of your reach.
- Say thank you to the lady who served you coffee at the restaurant.
- Say thank you to your spouse for being your spouse!
When you learn to count the little things as a blessing, then it makes the “big things” even more of a blessing.
One of the things we have done is watch God do “reverse shopping” for us which is where we expect to pay for something and rather it is given to us in some manner. For example, one time my dad was in line behind a lady at a gas station. She had an armful of purchases, and he had just his coffee cup. He was kind and patient, never acting like he was in a hurry. As she was being checked out, she told the cashier, “Please add the patient gentleman who is behind me’s coffee to my bill,” and she paid for it. What a blessing for just being content!
Do you ever get behind a slow moving car or truck? You just want them to hurry up. Right? Well, next time that happens, begin to count your blessings. You are in a car versus walking. You are safe. And that vehicle going slow could just be the Lord’s provision to prevent you from being in an accident!
No matter where or what, we must learn to be content. When we have an attitude of contentment it becomes much easier to pass up that “want” or the “latest, hottest, and greatest item” because we know the Lord is providing for us!
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