Day 13 - of 30 Days to A Simplier Life

Contentment with your Life is our Topic for today.

This is right in line with perspective because it is your perspective that will keep you content and in the end of day it adds simplicity to our lives.

Does contentment mean we just settle? Does it mean we don't more forward or progress in life? No, it means, that you strive for more with the knowledge that you will be content regardless of the outcome. You remain constant throughout whatever storm comes into your life.

Finding contentment in your life is possible. But sometimes it seems that the more we strive for contentment the harder it is to obtain. Maybe the reason is because the things we look to for contentment and fulfillment are not where contentment will be found.

The Bible says, "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth" (I Tim 6:6).

"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." (Phil 4:12)

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."(Hebrews 13;5)

• Contentment is not found in money or material possessions.
• Contentment is not found in a perfect job situation, because there IS no perfect job situation. Whatever job a person has, there is always something that you won't like about it.
• Contentment is not found in a relationship. Relationships, no matter how "perfect" they are, will never be enough to make you content. You can not find your contentment in another person as they will never be able to be all you need them to be.
• Contentment can not be found even in your faith, by itself. I know very many discontent Christians. This is certainly where you begin to find contentment and it is with God's help we find contentment but:

As with most things in life if not everything it still comes down to us. We have to seek God to help us - we have to choose to be content and that will come from within ourselves. Don't you just hate that it is always up to us??

Contentment is found in you. It comes when you realize that contentment does not come from any other place but you, your thoughts, your perspective, your outlook on life. There is an amazing freedom that comes when you realize this. . You can look in the mirror and see the person who remains the same regardless of circumstance, financially, job status or social status. When you are able to do this, you gain a new kind control and power over your life...the power and control that you had been giving to everything else.

This is a decision you can make now. You can decide to make a choice to be content with your life, again not meaning that you are continuing to improve and move forward but to be content in the moment by moment as things progress.

Here is an idea to get started:

Start a "complaining jar" in your home and require a donation to the jar with every complaint made. You will quickly see how many times you are complaining in a day (this is a great idea for your kids too) Rather than complain that you don't like your house, you'll be challenged to find ways to improve it. Instead of complaining about your job, you can come up with ways that you can make a difference.

Two other things you can do is to realize that a lot of our discontentment is driven by marketing and advertising, you may need to avoid some of that for awhile. And as always if we cultivate a Grateful and Thankful heart it truly will put it all into perspective, a good perspective.

Believe me I understand as I have been one of the most discontented people I know for most of my life, I only wish I had learned these lessons sooner and not wasted so much time striving for things and expecting people to make me happy and content when really contentment was to be found within myself.