Be Still

If I pause to listen, I will hear it. If I pause to notice, I will see it.

Sunlight on grass and leaves

Birds singing

Morning breeze

Varieties of beautiful plants, flowers, and trees

Thank You, God, for Your gifts!

My cat Espresso and her five cute kittens’ small voiced mews

Robin on green grass

Light dancing on the wood pile

Eyes to see

My warm, cosy robe against crisp morning air

Pretty tray with my breakfast and coffee on it

Bright colours

Thank You, God, for my health today.

Thank You for Your infinite, beyond-my-understanding love!

Perennials in my yard from previous owner

Thank You, God, for my wonderful, understanding, forgiving, gracious husband.

Thank You for this quiet time outside!

Breeze in the trees rustling

Turtle dove’s mourn

Mango, sweet and sour, tasty, bright orange

Fire pit for family times

Thank You, God, for headache-free days, for discoveries of food that makes me feel well.

Robin’s alert—cat!

Grass so green—pristine—reminds of Ireland!

Hostas getting big

Coffee with hazelnut
Sun on a barn shed

Lines and character in an old hunk of wood

Do you see? Do you hear? 

Do you thank?

Nothing Changes... Yet Everything Changes...

Are you grateful for your life just as God has ordered it?

Sure, of course, I'm grateful. Right?

But am I really?

What if my family were taken away from me? Would I be grateful for the time I had with them?

What if my good health were removed? Would I be grateful for the relationships and tangible blessings still in my life?

You see, I've been thinking about gratefulness lately because I spent quite a few months this past year ungrateful and downright angry.

Yes, I'm not proud to say this, but I have to be honest. I was inwardly railing on God for things He allowed into my life this year. 

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! (Isa. 45:9)

I'll explain. I've never been a mom. For whatever reason, God never allowed me to give birth to my own baby. This, for years, was a source of pain to me. I would inwardly and later privately weep when I was caught in a group of women chatting merrily about childbirth and rearing children. I just could not understand why God had kept this from me when I desired children so much, having chosen names for three children when I was yet a very young adult. Actually as a teen, I had chosen one of these names, and it had never changed in my mind.

So, fast-forward to January 2011. One year ago. 


After a long road, I felt I finally worked through the emotions of never having my own baby, and actually began seeing some of the reasons why God had chosen not to give me a child of my own. I literally felt it leave my emotional plate, and I began to settle into married life, just enjoying the freedom of being a couple.

Then with one phone call, everything changed. Suddenly we had a little two-year-old full-time... in the middle of potty training! And I went from wife to full-time caregiver... actually parenting.

Well, I didn't appreciate it. After all, this isn't on my terms, God! 


This is a selfish statement, but I have heard it from other parents as well: 

I felt that all my freedom was taken. 

I once enjoyed hopping in the car and going to town whenever I liked. Now I have to work around morning and afternoon naps, and when I do go, I have to buckle-in-buckle-out a little tot at every stop. Every errand takes twice as long. I was not used to that.

And so, though I'm not proud of this, I admit I became angry and bitter.

This isn't fair!

Thankfully, God in mercy kept me from taking the anger out on this precious child, though I am not so naive to believe that she remained completely unaffected by my spirit of anger, and that saddens me!

Doest thou well to be angry? ~ God asked Jonah (Jonah 4:4)

After the dust settled from my ranting (when I actually became exhausted in my anger), God began to show me the blessing in the midst of the unpleasant. God, Who works all things together for good to those who love Him--for His purpose, not ours--began showing me the beautiful: His purpose.

Christ is the model upon which the Father is developing your life...   

(Henry Blackaby)

Every event that God allows into my life is for His purpose: conforming me to the image of His dear Son Jesus. That's what the verse after Romans 8:28 says. His purpose isn't some pie-in-the-sky idea that I can just back burner if I truly love Him. When you love someone, you want what they want. And God wants to make me like Jesus.

What does all this have to do with being grateful?

By God's patience and grace, I am learning that this is a mindset. I do not mean fake. I mean a choice. The Apostle Paul wrote to the  Colossians, "Set your affection on things above." (Col. 3:2)

On a side note: It saddens me also that with my affections set on getting my own way and reclaiming what I perceived to be my own freedom, I made things hard on my husband as well. We have all heard the phrase, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" We women do set the climate in our homes, like it or not. (Check out Courtney's convicting blog on being a porcupine wife!)

Choosing to be grateful for the good--embracing the good--causes the nasty somehow to become less so. God began to show me the beautiful in this situation when I chose gratefulness.

Once I chose to be grateful in this situation--to focus on the good, to embrace the beautiful, God-given opportunity--my emotions (eventually) no longer felt angry, resentful, bitter, and vindictive. I began to see that God, for an indefinite period, has given me a little girl to dress in frillies and do her hair, just as I dreamed. And I began to enjoy things again... things that I used to enjoy but I quit doing, because I thought I no longer enjoyed these activities. I began to actually enjoy the daily tasks of caring for a child, as well as daily household chores I thought I hated! Resentment is a horrible thief.


It's a daily choice: Gratefulness... Nothing changes... Yet everything changes!

I Corinthians 4:7

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? ~ I Corinthians 4:7

Everything we have in life is a gift. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.


Nothing should taken for granted. I could lose my sight tomorrow. My hearing. My fingers that enjoy skipping across piano keys and harp strings. My voice that loves to sing.

http://pricelesssimplicity.blogspot.com/

Am I truly grateful? Have I thanked God for these instruments that I use every day, more than a thousand times a day?


A fellow blogger advocates keeping a running list of gratefulness... 1,000 Gifts. While I have not yet read Ann's book 1,000 Gifts, I am an occasional reader of her blog.

And I fell in love with her emphasis on gratefulness... So I join in...

1. A friend loses her baby. I still enjoy my little granddaughter every day.

Elaine Morie Bender, waiting in heaven

2. An acquaintance's spouse is about to go to jail. I have a wonderful, faithful man who loves and daily provides for me.


3. People around the world have no shelter... I enjoy the warmth of a fireplace on a frozen winter evening. They scrounge for food... I am warmed and filled. Their only clothes are on their back... I have a closetful.

Filipino boy starts his own fire.
(photo, Victoria Wonser, missionary in the Philippines)

4. Many around the world sleep outside because they have no bed or home. I have a warm bed with beautiful blankets I love.

Philippines graveyard:
Missionary friends saw a man sleeping here
and many living here in a graveyard.
(photo, Victoria Wonser)

5. A family of seven children including a newborn loses their mother at age 39. I am 39 and I can still call or email my own mother any time. 


What are you grateful for? 


Will you notice and give thanks for the thousands of gifts God has placed all around you?

Greatly Blessed

Greatly blessed and highly favoured,

Imperfect, but forgiven child of God!
©2010, William J. Gaither, Inc.





We are so blessed


By the gifts from Your hand


I just can't understand


Why You've loved us so much


We are so blessed


We just can't find a way


Or the words that can say


Thank You Lord for Your touch



We are so blessed


By the things You have done


The vict'ries we've won


And what You've brought us through


We are so blessed


Take what we have to bring


Take it all ev'rything


Lord we bring it to You



When we're empty
You fill us

'Til we overflow


When we're hungry


You feed us

And cause us to know


We are so blessed


Take what we have to bring


Take it all ev'rything


Lord we love You so much

©1982, William J. Gaither, Inc.

This is the song that played as I walked down the boardwalk at our beach wedding ceremony to marry my love nearly four years ago. 

We are still so blessed!

Grateful

The late Sara Frankl

Gitzen Girl

Sara has inspired me to learn to choose joy every day.

Sara faithfully shared her gratefulness to God in the midst of a terminal illness that kept her in constant pain for more than the last fourteen years of her life. She was honest, open, real. She, like Jesus, "learned obedience through the things which [s]he suffered."

I’ve learned to appreciate the simplicity in my moments. I’ve learned that being thankful in everything is more important than being thankful for something. I want to be grateful for everything in my life, not just the special moments. ~ Sara

Sara could not leave her home for years, due to the need for continuous purified air to keep her alive, and so she could not spend holidays with her family. She could not eat food brought to her from family gatherings, because she had so many food allergies that were deadly.

Yet Sara was grateful. Two years ago around Thanksgiving, she wrote about how thankful she was for the good things in her life.

I am simply grateful. I appreciate my life because it’s the one He has given to me, and I don’t want to waste a moment of it wishing for anything else. ~ Sara

Sara's acceptance of her illness from God's hand as His divine purpose for her, whether she understood it or not, is expressed in the following paragraphs. (Honestly, she sounds just like me in the first two paragraphs!)

I always believed I had that faith… but mine was a faith of conditions. I had faith He would take care of me, but I assumed that meant I would be cared for with good health. I had faith that I would prosper, and assumed that meant my career would follow a good path. I had faith that He wanted the best for me, and assumed that meant my life would unfold in a way I envisioned.

But as the years progressed and I lost more and more of what I thought defined me...I realized that being a servant meant all or nothing. A line was drawn in the sand and I had to choose my fear, or I had to choose to completely trust Him. It had to be an all or nothing choice because one cannot exist if the other is true.


I chose to trust, and I’ve never looked back. I can be tired, I can be frustrated by my circumstances and exhausted from the pain, but I am never fearful of what is to come because I know that He is in control. I have faith that He will take care of me, and He has given me fortitude and peace in my heart as I face the challenges my body inflicts on me. I have faith that I will prosper, and I have been blessed with plentiful friends who walk this journey with me. I have faith that He wants the best for me, and He shows me that daily by using my life in ways that serve others--being there in small ways I would never have been able to if my life had unfolded the way I envisioned...

If Jesus was a servant, if he lost everything to come to Earth in the form of a baby who had nothing more than love to give, why would I assume to deserve more? ~ Sara

Sara's doctrinal beliefs are far different than mine, but in the few articles I have read, she has taught me her one little word for 2011: Praise.

Sara is gone now, but her exhortation lives on. This Thanksgiving season, will you join me in the simple praise she modelled... by yielding yourself in new, tangible ways to the One Who knows best for you? ...The One Who has a purpose greater than your own plans? ...The One Who "will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ"?

“The world has yet to see what God can do through a man who is totally yielded to Him.” ~ D.L. Moody

My Theme for 2011...

Yes, I'm late in the game. Better late than never, eh?

The Lord has been speaking to my heart about one main thing in the past few months and has brought my focus onto one word: gratefulness.

In past years I have kept a Gratitude Journal, but I needed something more visual to remind me. I have a wipe-off board on my fridge. I have used it for chore lists, notes, reminders, and everything in between. This past week, however, I began using it for a new thing. I wrote at the top: "Grateful..." And I am endeavouring to write something for which I am grateful every day. It's just another way I can act upon what God is prompting in my heart--and a method in which I can get my family involved as well!

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" ~ Psalm 107:9

What's your praise today?

Grateful

In the midst of the gratefulness challenge sent out by Joy, this morning I read Psalm 116 and was especially encouraged by verse seven: 

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Reminds me of Hebrews 4:9...

There remaineth therefore a rest unto the people of God.

That rest is for us here and now, on this earth. We do not have to wait until heaven to rest in Him! He IS our peace (Ephesians 2:14)! And He is right where you are--with YOU--right now!

If you're feeling anxious or more irritable than thankful today, go read Psalm 116. Then listen to this song by the Talley Trio. Hope it blesses you as it does me. Let me know...

My Outline of Psalm 107

I think it's neat how this chapter can be divided in sections that represent areas and stages of my life:
Verses 1-3 Thankful for redemption
Verses 4-7 What I was before salvation
Verses 8-9 Thankful for the needs of my soul being met
Verses 10-13 Rebellion after salvation
Verses 14-16 Thankful for freedom from the sin of rebellion
Verses 17-19 Affliction due to sin (after salvation)
Verses 20-22 Thankful He still delivers even when I brought it on myself
Verses 23-27 Troubles allowed by God for a reason
Verses 28-32 Thankful He takes me through storms; does not leave me to face them alone, even though the storms are there to mature me!
Verses 33-41 Synopsis/summary of what God does in my life
Verse 43 Take heed and observe! Understand His lovingkindness!

I Am Redeemed!

Do you really know what it means to be redeemed by Jesus?
Sometimes when I'm doing a word study in the Bible, it's meaningful to me to simply look in the dictionary. Thefreedictionary.com gives this definition of "redeem":
1. To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.
2. To pay off.
3. To turn in and receive something in exchange.
4. To fulfill.
5. To convert into cash: redeem stocks.
6. To set free; rescue or ransom.
7. To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences.
8. To make up for.
9. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of.
Well, that was enough for me!
Lord Jesus, I thank You that You recovered ownership of my soul from the prince of the power of the air, the enemy of my soul by paying the price of Your death on the cross.
Thank You for paying off my sin debt!
Thank You for turning over Your body and life in exchange for mine!
Thank You for fulfilling me--that You are all I need. Ever.
Thank You, Jesus, for converting me from worthless to something worthwhile through Your indwelling Spirit in me.
Thank You for setting me free, rescuing and ransoming me from the devil!
Thank You for saving me from my sinful state and its consequences, which would have been to be eternally separated from God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and from you.
Thank You for making up the difference for everything in my life. All things are but loss for the excellency of Your power!
Thank You for providing me honour, worth, and reputation by allowing me to just BE IN YOU.
Thank You, Jesus, that I AM REDEEMED!


Note: If you have trouble playing the video, you may need to pause it until it completely loads. Then try playing it. It's worth the wait!

Autumn Joys

My Gratefulness List

This is not--and can never be--an exhaustive list! In fact, I plan to add to it as time goes on.

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada, so I was reminded once again to cultivate a heart of gratefulness, and to express it!

So here goes. I am grateful for...

1. My Jesus who saved me and called me with a holy calling, and loves to walk with me "in the garden."

2. My wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally and is always honest with me.

3. That God setteth the solitary in families... that He has given me a family to love.

4. Music that encourages, inspires, and refreshes me spiritually and emotionally

5. Beauty all around me in God's world, and simple little joys such as a warm, soft blanket

Grateful to Be Back!

I'm back in the blogging world! I apologize for the gap between my blog entries. There were issues that, as it turned out, related to my use of Firefox. Now that I have attempted an entry in Internet Explorer, I'm seeing success!

I will post soon... Today though... Thanksgiving dinner with our kids and grandbaby!

With a Grateful Heart,
Dayna

Here's the song that played as I came down the boardwalk at our beach wedding...

♫
We are so blessed, with the gifts from Your hand,
I just can't understand why You love us so much!
We are so blessed, we just can't find a way--
Or the words that can say, Thank You, Lord, for Your touch!

When we're empty, You fill us till we overflow!
When we're hungry, You feed us, and cause us to know,

We are so blessed, take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything, Lord, we love You so much!

Does Acceptance Equal Peace?

"In acceptance lieth peace." ~ Amy Carmichael

God has much to say about peace, and it's all about HIM. Acceptance is merely a yielding to HIM. Whatever my situation, when I believe that God is sovereign and that He is nothing but GOOD, I can accept my situation, because I know in my soul that He is always working for my good (Romans 8:28).

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." ~ Colossians 3:12-15

Did you read those verses carefully? God has called me, as the elect of God, to put on mercy, kindness, humility, etc. When offenses come--and they will come!--if forgiveness and love are my heart, though Christ's power within me, through that YIELDING to His Spirit, I can LET the peace of God rule in my heart. The result is not only an inner calm, but an outer thankfulness. An attitude of gratefulness comes when I am at peace on the inside. A grateful woman is so much more pleasant than a worried or angry woman!

"Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7

When I am YIELDING to His Spirit within me, and not my own spirit, I will not be anxious or worried about anything. I will immediately bring my request to the God that I KNOW and BELIEVE I can trust (Isaiah 43:10). When I leave it at His feet--the best I know how--THEN the PEACE OF GOD beyond all understanding will KEEP or guard both my heart and my mind!

And it's all through Christ Jesus!

Acceptance does equal peace, but only if the acceptance is a yielding to and a delight in God, not just a mere resignation to one's fate. Delighting in God and what He is doing in my life no matter what the trial is not easy, but that is what will bring me streams of water in the desert place.

"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." ~ Isaiah 58:11

Let me know how God has been your personal spring of water! Comment below.

Grateful?

A girl I knew in college has now been in a wheelchair, paralyzed with MS, for nearly a year. In addition to waking up one day, suddenly unable to move her legs, she was four months pregnant, a pastor's wife, and already had five children!

Alicia's spirit and attitude is so inspiring... and convicting. If I were in that position, would I be as upbeat as she is? Her situation reminds me to be grateful that I can still walk... and for the loads of blessings God gives me daily (Psalm 68:19).

If you're feeling ungrateful or grumbly, check out her blog at http://comfortsfromgod.blogspot.com.

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree

What a book to make one thankful!

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree, a memoir of the Holocaust, makes me so grateful for food, clothing, a warm bed, a hot shower... the list goes on.

At times one can think that the suffering of these people was only for a few years--that the Jews who survived the Holocaust were still able to live most of their lives normally. It seems easier to think this way; it helps us cope with the knowledge of what humanity was capable of doing to other human beings!

It is sobering, however, to think that at the time these Jews were in the midst of it, they didn't know how long it would be or if they would even come out alive. I can imagine their prayers with the Psalmist, "How long, O Lord?" (Psalm 13:1-2 and 35:17). When they did come out alive, they survived with scars and horrible memories.

One of the many gripping parts of the book is her description of coming into one of the most dreaded camps with a commandant rumored to be extremely cruel. This is how I remember it: It was the dead of winter, freezing cold. Hannelore was forced into one building (barracks) and told to strip naked. Then she was sent out into the freezing cold, naked, to the next building where she took an icy cold shower and sprayed down with chemicals (to kill lice and other vermin). Sent out into the cold again, naked, to the next building to be "examined" by the doctor, who inspected every crevice of her naked body. The humiliation! Out into the winter snow again, still naked, to the next building to finally receive merely an over-sized dress, stained underwear, and wooden clogs. No winter coat. No socks. And she was just thankful to have clothes again.

It reminds me of Betsie ten Boom, who died at Ravenbruck. While standing naked in line for the doctor's inspection, along with her sister Corrie, she brokenly remarked, as if a realization had just come over her, "Corrie! They took HIS [meaning Jesus'] clothes too! And I've never thanked Him!"

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that there is nothing we suffer that Jesus did not suffer. He understands. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities..."

This poem that I learned as a child is always a reminder to me of how many blessings I have. May God always cause me to remember!

Today upon a bus I saw
A girl with golden hair;
I envied her--she seemed so happy--
And wished that I were half so fair;
I watched her as she rose to leave,
And saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and used a crutch,
But as she passed--a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;
I have two legs--the world is mine.

Later on the way to work,
I stopped to buy some sweets.
The boy who sold them had such charm,
I thought I'd stop and talk awhile.
If I were late, 't would do no harm.
"Thank you, sir, you've been so kind.
"It's nice to talk to folks like you
"You see," he said, "I'm blind"
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;
I have two eyes--the world is mine

Later, walking down the street,
I met a boy with eyes so blue.
But he stood and watched the others play;
It seemed he knew not what to do.
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked straight ahead without a word,
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;
I have two ears--the world is mine.

Two legs to take me where I go,
Two eyes to see the sunset's glow,
Two ears to hear all I should know,
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;
I'm blest, indeed, the world is mine.
~ Dr. Tennyson Guyer

Click here to read about Laura Hillman's life now.

Book description from Amazon.com:
"HANNELORE, YOUR PAPA IS DEAD."

In the spring of 1942 Hannelore received a letter from Mama at her school in Berlin, Germany--Papa had been arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Six weeks later he was sent home; ashes in an urn.

Soon another letter arrived. "The Gestapo has notified your brothers and me that we are to be deported to the East--whatever that means." Hannelore knew: labor camps, starvation, beatings...How could Mama and her two younger brothers bear that? She made a decision: She would go home and be deported with her family. Despite the horrors she faced in eight labor and concentration camps, Hannelore met and fell in love with a Polish POW named Dick Hillman.

Oskar Schindler was their one hope to survive. Schindler had a plan to take eleven hundred Jews to the safety of his new factory in Czechoslovakia. Incredibly both she and Dick were added to his list. But survival was not that simple. Weeks later Hannelore found herself, alone, outside the gates of Auschwitz, pushed toward the smoking crematoria.

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree is the remarkable true story of one young woman's nightmarish coming-of-age. But it is also a story about the surprising possibilities for hope and love in one of history's most brutal times.

About the Author
Laura Hillman (nee Hannelore Wolff) was born in 1923 in Aurich, Germany, near the North Sea. She was the third of five children born to Karoline and Martin Wolff. Five years after Hitler came to power, Laura was separated from her town and family. The events Laura witnessed in the camps kept her from writing for many years, but she finally set out to write her memoir, facing for the first time the circumstances that led to her survival.

Laura now lives in Los Alamitos, California, and devotes her time between talking in high schools and colleges about her experiences and being a docent at the Long Beach Museum of Art. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

(But I WILL Bless the Lord!)

It's -8C with light snow flurries! Brrr!

Kali has built a fire in the fireplace, and I'm debating whether or not to venture to the grocery store for things I need to continue my Christmas baking! I have more things that need to be baked by Friday.

This morning, it felt delicious to Christmas shop in my bathrobe... online! I hate how late I am! But I am enjoying Christmastime!

My husband preached two great messages this past Sunday on thankfulness, blessing the Lord, and cultivating a heart of gratitude.

Notice in Psalm 34:1, David says, "I will bless the Lord..." It's a choice. Then he says, "His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

The difference between the words "continually" and "continuously" are important. "Continual" is intermittent, yet consistent or regular; "continuous" implies lack of interruption. David acknowledges that he isn't perfect. He will not continuously bless the Lord because he's human. There will be interruptions to his praise. But he will, by choice, continually bless and praise the Lord! That's what I'm seeking to do this week.

How about you? Will you make a conscious decision to bless the Lord for something specific in your life? Comment below and let me know how you are praising God.

"My" Psalm 136

This "psalm" is most encouraging when read aloud to God...

O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good:
For His mercy endureth forever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods:
For His mercy endureth forever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him alone Who doeth great wonders:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that by wisdom made the heavens:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that made great lights:
For His mercy endureth forever.
The sun to rule by day:
For His mercy endureth forever.
The moon and stars to rule by night:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that won victory over the world:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And brought me out from among them:
For His mercy endureth forever.
With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To God Who will never give me more than I can handle:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And gives me His power to go through anything:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him which conquered the biggest problem in my path:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him Who leads me through the wilderness places of life:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him Who smites and kills giants of sin in my life:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And slays the most common irratants in my way:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And gives grace to face whatever is in my way:
For His mercy endureth forever.
Who gives me grace to give a soft answer:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And helps me take back ground from the enemy:
For His mercy endureth forever.
He give me peace in the midst of the storm:
For His mercy endureth forever.
He remembered me in my low, sinful state:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And redeemed me from the enemy:
For His mercy endureth forever.
Who provides food for my table:
For His mercy endureth forever.
O give thanks to the God of Heaven:
For His mercy endureth forever!

How Can I Know I’ve Learned Contentment?

Adapted from The Art of Divine Contentment, by Thomas Watson, a.d. 1620-1686

1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit. A contented person has no word to say against God. Psalm 39:9; Lam. 3:22-28

Pharaoh—“Who is the Lord?”—in other words: “Why should I suffer all this? Why should I be brought to this low condition?” —“Who is the Lord?” Ex. 5:2

Eli, when told that his house/family would be judged, did not murmur or dispute. He had a gracious heart, “It is the Lord; let Him do what He will with me.” I Sam. 3:18

Aaron's sons had offered up strange fire, and fire from the Lord devoured them. The Bible says, “Aaron held his peace.” Lev. 10:1-2

Jonah said, “I do well to be angry.” He did not display a contented spirit. Jonah 4:9

2. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit. It is more than patience. Patience is simply submission. Contentment indicates cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than passive. She does not only bear the cross, but she takes up the cross. She looks upon God as a wise God, and on whatever God does as a necessity to mature her into what He wants. II Cor. 12:10

3. A contented spirit is a thankful spirit. I Thess. 5:18 A gracious heart spies mercy in every condition; therefore she has her heart lifted up to thankfulness. Others will bless God for prosperity, but she blesses Him for affliction! When she is lacking something she wants or even believes she needs, she says to herself: “God sees it as better for me to lack this thing than to have it. He sees it as better for my spiritual health.” Therefore she not only submits but is thankful that God in His sovereignty knows and is doing what is best for her.

4. When a person is content, no condition of life is worth complaining about. Paul learned this. Phil. 4:11-12 “For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”

Psalm 78:10-33—The Israelites murmured when they lacked food. When God provided it, they left His way. Maybe God had a reason for allowing their lack?

A contented spirit says, “Let God apply whatever medicine He wants, and let it stay as long as He wants, because I know that, when it has cured the disease and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart, God will take it away.”

A contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word, desires to be wholly at God’s disposal, and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God has set him.

5. She who is contented with her condition will not run into sin to get out of trouble or difficulties.

She is willing to wait for God and will not move until God opens the door.

The Israelites did not move until the pillar of cloud and fire moved. Ex. 13:21

It is good to wait on God and not to try to get out of what we consider trouble until we see God’s hand pointing a way out. Lam. 3:26