Sundays With Joyce

WORD FOR TODAY

Contentment

1. Accept situation Lord has put you in 1 Corinthians 7:17   But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

2. Better to be godly and have little Psalms 37:16, Proverbs 16:8   A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

3. Cheerful heart is good medicine Proverbs 17:22   A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

4. God satisfies the thirsty Psalms 107:9   For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

5. Godliness with contentment is great gain 1 Timothy 6:6-8   But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

6. Just enough to satisfy needs Proverbs 30:8   Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

 

 

 

Finding Unqualified Happiness
If Only

Since most of our experiences are rooted in cause and effect, we naturally want to justify our contentment. We envision grand circumstances, stating that if only we could achieve this goal or obtain that possession, we would finally be in a position to attain happiness. As a result, satisfaction is always just out of reach and the very notion of grabbing hold of it seems like nothing more than a pipe dream. But the truth is that sincere contentment and fulfillment are never wholly the result of external events or situations. Though life's joyful moments can ignite the spark of contentment within us, that spark is fueled by serenity long established in our souls. When we forget this, it is easy to become stuck in "if only" patterns of thought. If we concentrate on the natural serenity that exists within us, however, we can move forward unimpeded by disappointment.

The circumstances you live through each day have the potential to bring both joy and despair into your life. Relying on the reactions they awaken within you to create an emotional foundation means living on a roller coaster of feeling whose course is determined by chance. Though you may yearn for the object of your desire-be it a new job, financial health, a spouse, or some other symbol of success-you have within you the power to be happy without it. Letting go of your "if only" thinking patterns can be as easy as recognizing that inward emptiness cannot be dispelled with outer world solutions. Try creating a list of your "if only"s. Then literally and figuratively let go of the items on the list by tearing it up or burning it. This simple action can help set in motion the intention to set you free, enabling you to make a fresh and balanced start in the present, unencumbered by regrets and unfulfilled desires.

There will likely be periods in your life in which you find yourself tempted to seek a magic formula for fulfillment that is centered upon a single goal or achievement. But the ingredients that come together to form the seeds of happiness that can sustain your spirit throughout the triumphs and trials of existence come from within rather than from without. When your search for satisfaction is focused on your soul, you will never fail to find the joy you seek.

 

 

God has put a well of joy on the inside of us, and we need to tap into the contentment so we can enjoy what we already have. On a continual basis, we have to keep ourselves full of contentment, having a grateful attitude. God is replenishing our joy, our peace. Song and praise helps fill us up of joy, and peace.

Life happens, and we lose our peace, and happiness. The only way to keep that peace is to be glad in our hearts for all we do have, and what God has done for us. It's an attitude. Just let God know we are grateful to be alive. Be aware of what we are feeding ourselves. Life will drag you down if you let it. We allow the stresses of life to take our peace. God has placed a song in each of our hearts, and it's up to us to keep it going. Never lose the little child in us who can be energized instantly, with encouragement..

Things may not perfect in our lives, but it could be a whole lot worse. We need to "smile by faith". it send messages to the body that everything is going to be okay. God mentions countenance over 50 times in the Bible.

Let us get our song back, and stop letting other people steal our joy. In the middle of adversity, we can enjoy our life anyway. Declare that this is going to be a good day!