In what life season do you find yourself?
I am living in a sweet season. My daughter and her family live nearby. My son and his family just moved back to town. Despite lingering sadness, missing my husband, blessings abound. I am learning to be content with my age and stage of life.
Embracing Contentment
Contentment isn’t about unending happiness. Rather contentment involves being at peace with your circumstances. Among the keys to contentment are avoiding comparisons, finding joy in little things, and recognizing blessings.
Comparing yourself to others usually results in zeroing in on what you perceive as deficiencies, in yourself or your circumstances. However, we are unique in our design, personalities, and gifts. In accepting yourself and your life season, you foster contentment.
One of my sources of joy is watching my grandchildren, talking to them, noticing their strengths, and seeing their personalities evolve.
Another source of joy is nature. God could have provided a sterile, drab world for us to inhabit. Instead, he gave us abundant beauty.
The ability to recognize blessings is linked to contentment. Joy may wax and wane, but contentment is a life thread intertwined with recognition of God’s goodness.
Grasping Gratitude
Sometimes life is hard, and if we aren’t careful, we adopt a woe-is-me mindset. Perspective shifts to negativity, criticism, or blaming and gratefulness slides to the background.
Instead, focus on gratitude. Recognize and give thanks for God’s many blessings. If your circumstances make it difficult for you to express thankfulness, start a gratitude journal. Even if you only write a single word, note one thing each day for which you are thankful. With practice, your perspective will shift and you will more readily notice blessings and give thanks for them.
Focusing on Foresight
Sometimes, to fully appreciate our current situation, we must look back, and then look ahead. Looking back reminds us. Looking forward brings hope. Forward motion hinges on gleaning from the past, appreciating now, and positively anticipating the future.
Foresight is tempered with wisdom and powered by God-given courage.
No matter what your current life season, trust God to move you forward in His timing and for His purposes.
“I can be content in any and every situation through the Anointed One who is my power and strength (Philippians 4:13 VOICE).
“Having respect for the Lord leads to life. Then you will be content and free from trouble” (Proverbs 19:23 NIRV).
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is an award-winning writer, blogger, and speaker. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotions published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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2 Comments
Candy, your posts are always filled with the love of God in every situation. Thank you!
Thank you, DiAnn!