As I have prayed about my word of the year {contentment} I have been prompted to begin looking for practical ways to cultivate a habit and heart of contentment in my life.
God is already drawing my heart to Himself and showing me just what contentment looks like.
I pray that with each day in 2013, I will learn to be more and more content in Christ.
I want to be content with who He made me to be. This is a big one for me. As I have struggled with depression off and on in the past, I have been angry at God for giving me the “melancholy” personality. I’m too sensitive. I’m too weepy. I wear my feelings on my sleeve and I.hate.it. God has shown me, in the past few years, that He created me with this sensitive heart for a reason. I can’t say that I fully accept this with a heart full of gratitude each and everyday. But, I’m getting there. 🙂
I want to be content with the many blessings He has given me…and not always wanting more. I find myself wanting more from myself, more from my children, more for my home, more this, more that. I want to be perfectly happy and content with the MULTITUDE of blessings He has already bestowed and not always looking for the next best thing!!
I want to be content in Christ. I want Jesus to be my joy. I want to not let my circumstances determine my attitude. I don’t want my children’s arguments and complaining to ruin my day. I want to learn to fully BELIEVE that no one can rob me of my joy if it comes from Christ alone.
So, what does this look like on a practical level?? Well, that is one thing I will be exploring this year with my word of the year. But, so far, while acknowledging that I do not have all the answers and this is very much a journey, God has impressed on my heart a few things…
Practical ways to cultivate contentment…
1. I want to start each day with a thankful heart. Truly, such a simple thing like counting my blessings has TREMENDOUS impact on my heart and my attitude. Right now I’m using this book
2. I want to memorize and recite and speak and pray Scriptures so much so that my heart overflows with the words of Christ and not the words of the enemy.
3. I am placing pictures, verses and reminders around my home as VISUAL reminders of these truths.
4. I am not going into stores as often. I am blessed with a husband who doesn’t mind grocery shopping (mostly because he is the frugal one and knows he will spend less! ha!) so the LESS I go in walmart, the LESS money I spend!!
5. When I have items in my amazon cart, I am leaving them a little longer to give me time to realize I don’t need it. ha!
Can you help me think of other ways to practically cultivate contentment in our hearts and homes? I’d love to hear your thoughts!!
Continuing the counting, naming and numbering of my blessings…believing and trusting that a heart of gratitude truly does breed contentment!
slow January days
wrapped in blankets, reading a book
hot cider
getting back to routine
new year. new planner.
mom bringing me a large sweet tea after a rough morning
playing scrabble with the family
playing boggle with papa and nana
getting a meal plan finished
working on more homemade recipes
sparkling grape juice on new year’s
starting a new Bible
#3443 – 3454
oh, the one that nailed me was not letting kids’ arguments and complaining ruin my day. and believing no one can rob me of joy if it’s in Christ.
perhaps all our discontentments are just longings for something deeper that only He can fill. and that He in fact *is* filling — if we just open our eyes and count.
great, humble post, friend.
glad i came over from Ann’s today. 🙂
Kelli, thanks so much for stopping by…and letting me know I”m not alone. 🙂 That is probably one of my biggest problems – letting my kids determine how my day goes. Ugh. I don’t really know how to proactively get OUT of this bad habit! But I’m praying and seeking how to change this in my life.