I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am no disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. ~ Philippians 4:11
I AM CONTENT AND EMOTIONALLY STABLE.
I spent many years saying, "I'll be happy when...I graduate high school, I graduate college, I get married, I have a baby"....etc...etc...etc....I had to choose to be happy right now.
I am not a person that naturally enjoys the journey. I am not patient and I want what I want now. Thanks to God, a change in attitude, a wonderful husband, an amazing son and most recently, my Dad, I have come to grow in this area and see that I don't want to miss out as my life passes me by.
When my Dad came to the end of his life he was ok with it. He was ready. He was not sad for himself. He knew he had had a long and happy life. He did not have regrets about the way he had lived, he was satisfied and content. He even said to us, "I'm going home." He was, to the end, a stable man, that did not let his emotions rule him. I want to be like that when I am 89.
I don't want to spend any more time seeking things that bring me no lasting good and fail to see the things that will truly make me happy.
Godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. ~ 1 Timothy 6:6
I know so many people that are being controlled emotionally by outside forces and wasting time being upset over things that they can't do anything about. Since a lot of time I can't control the circumstances, I want to manage my emotions better. Being so emotional is exhausting. "A roller coaster way be fun but, I do not want to spend my life speeding to great heights and swooping to deep lows," as Joyce says. Emotions are normal, but we don't have to be controlled by them. I want to be able to remain stable no matter the circumstances, good or bad.
Peter 5:8-9 says, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring, seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined].
In this reguard, I am working on patience and self control.
Patience because my emotions urge me to be hasty, telling me that I must do something right now, but if I can step back and see the situation from God's perspective then I will base my decisions on what I know rather than on what I feel.
Self Control because it is a privilege to be able to choose what we will do and what we don't do. As Joyce says, "When in doubt, don't." Richard is definitely my model when it comes to being led by peace and not excitement.
I remind myself every morning that being upset does no good and regardless of the circumstances, I can go ahead and enjoy my day. I can think myself happy just like I can think myself sad. I need to focus on my many blessings and not on what I don't have. I am working on trusting God to provide everything I need and if I don't get something, it's only because He has something better in mind for me.
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