“Contentment is a gift of the Holy Spirit that frees us from the ‘If I just…’ cycle.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 24, 2024
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. Proverbs 15:16, ESV
“If I just…”
These three little words have sown seeds of discontentment and unrest deep into countless hearts. Perhaps you catch yourself beginning sentences with them?
“If I just had a nicer car…”
“If I just had a spouse…”
“If I just had more money…”
“If I just lost five more pounds…”
“If I just lived there instead of here…”
“If I just were free from that painful memory…”
“If I just had the respect of my children…”
It’s easy to think contentment and happiness are just one step away. Of course, if and when we make that step, a new one emerges. That’s the thing about discontentment: it’s never satisfied. It’s never just one more thing. Here, I’m reminded of one of Shel Silverstein’s most profoundly insightful poems, titled The Search.
I went to find a pot of gold
That’s waiting where the rainbow ends.
I searched and searched and searched and searched
And searched and searched, and then—
There it was, deep in the grass,
Under an old and twisty bough.
It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine at last….
What do I search for now?
Contentment is a gift of the Holy Spirit that frees us from the “If I just…” cycle. As today’s passage reminds us, it is better to have very little yet live life in the abundant awareness of the mercy of God, fearing him in wonder and awe, than it is to be overcome by the desire for the next thing, whatever that thing may be and no matter how much you already have.
Freedom from “If I just…” liberates us to discover the joy of communing with God, not based on what we have done, who we know, or what we’ve studied, but simply upon our ability to rest in his perfect love. Knowing and being known by God is the fullest expression of what it means to be a human being. If we can believe and receive this, there is nothing else that could possibly draw our hearts away or satisfy as he satisfies. And so, rest in him today, choosing to believe that abiding in him is more than enough.
Prayer
Father, give us the courage to rest in the freedom of contentment, for in you all of our joy is found, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Pay attention to any time you start a sentence with “If I just,” and seek to replace it with a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s provision in your life.
Related Reading
Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; Hebrews 13:5
Worship Resource
Jonathan & Melissa Helser: Raise A Hallelujah
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