Many
of us are driven by the need to keep the "letter" of the law (2
Corinthians 3:4-6), to please others, to save the world from itself, etc. This
leads to codependent behavior that is actually a curse, and the opposite of
obedience to God's will for us.
We
say "yes" to every request made of us, and then we find our self
without enough time in our life to do what is important - seeking first God and
His Kingdom. Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, did this. She was very
busy doing what she "should" do.
Resentment
built up in her heart, and she came to Jesus to complain that her sister was
sitting at His feet and listening to His words, rather than helping her to
prepare a meal for everyone. She failed to see what Jesus wanted her to do, and
He corrected her (Luke 10:42).
We
often look for support and satisfaction in all the wrong places. Contentment
comes from having the peace and joy of the Lord inside of us, and radiating to
the world around us. If we fail to live in the moment, we struggle with the
past and fear the future.
If
we feel negative emotions, we can take them to the Lord to discover their root,
and to use the Serenity Prayer to either fix them, or to leave them in God's
capable hands (2 Peter 1:3). Then we look around at nature, people we love, and
all of the blessings God gave us.
This
allows contentment to seep into our soul, to replace the negative emotions
drowning us in their hopelessness, and to make our choices from a positive position
of love, grace, humility and obedience to God's Spirit each moment of our day.
Prayer:
Father
God, we want to live from the standpoint of gratefulness for your supply
(Matthew 6:31-32), of appreciation for Your salvation and complete redemption, of
acceptance of our life as it is. We look to You - the author and finisher of
our faith (Hebrews 12:2) - rather than to focus on our earthly needs, wants and
desires. Our greatest desire is to allow Your infinite focus to govern our mind,
instead of our finite perspective (Matthew 6:19-34).
Help
us to walk in Your perfect love and liberty (James 1:25), rather than by the
letter of the law. The letter requires of us what we ought to do; while liberty
encourages us to accomplish what Your Spirit directs us to do. Remind us of all
which we have to be grateful for in our life, and to give You unending praise
for Your protection and provision for us.
Thought
for the Day:
When
negative emotions assail us, we can pause to look around us in this moment of
time at all that God already provided for us, to simplify our life of clutter
inside our soul and in our home and schedule, to live a life of gratitude
rather than regret and anxiety, to encourage those whom God brings into our
life, to make time to enjoy our family and vocation and friends, and to always focus
on the positive.
-
Philippians 4:6-8, 19; Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8
