I took some time to analyze my wants/desires/longings (pick one) in various circumstances and oh dear was I out of sync in certain departments of the "ME_WANT" section of my life. When we just moved down to Los
Angeles, there were many questionable choices because the outcomes weren’t always so
bright or let’s just say what we thought we wanted seemed to be
just-not-happening. [Which by the way: I am so glad that what we thought we wanted didn’t happen]
I faced some challenges- spiritual and physical. I failed to trust what I knew
was true. I failed to trust in the Lord and cut myself short of the peace provided by God that
surpasses understanding.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”- Philippians 4:7.
The peace was there… for me… but I looked away and did the
predictable- trusted in my own agenda.
But as always, and I am so thankful for this, God did not
let me cave into my own prideful strength and wonderfully reminded me that He
is in control. Vlad and I prayed and believed. We sought counsel and
encouragement from our dear family and friends. There were times of
discouragement; however I am not going to go on and make a pity list, but
instead look ahead and let me tell you, the more I trust God and am content
with what I am so graciously given, the more I realize how much I truly have
and my wants/longings become aligned to what is God’s will in my life. Applying my knowledge of God to my
circumstances brings about great joy with much contentment no matter what circumstance we are in.
Being content is pretty tricky. It’s difficult to be content
during difficult times but it is also not very easy to be content during the
best of times. I usually associate being discontent when there is a lack of
something because when we have little or are going through something
challenging it is difficult for us to trust God to provide what we need. Instead we worry and plan and worry, worry,
and worry. On the other hand, during the
best of times when we seem to have everything we want or need there is a risk
of forgetting our dependence on God. To be content with less or during a
difficult time is hard but to be content with much can be impossible because we
will always want more. Apart from the satisfaction that we can only
get from God, we are insatiable- we will always want more.
"All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not
satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing." - Ecclesiastes 1:8
I like the way Barbara Hughes puts it: “whether rich or poor
we must submit both our anxiety and our greed to the Lord.”
Don’t forget to analyze your longings. Center them on what
most glorifies Christ. A longing for
God is proper; cultivate your relationship with him. The things of this world
are important in their own place of our priorities but how much more important it is to live in such a way that glorifies God in everything that we do and care
about.
"As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O
God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear
before God?" - Psalm 42:1-2
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