FOR I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES
This weekend I took my daughter to her first Pow Wow. She had a blast! Here are some pics. Warning...this post is very picture and word heavy. Please read it all. I pray it blesses you. Kiah
Fancy Dancers
Indian Fry Bread
Beautiful handmade jewelry
Kayla and National Fancy Dance Champ Willy Boy
What I wore
Sunday Words of Encouragement...
"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances"
Philippians 4:11b (NIV)
Have you ever noticed how overextending yourself tends to bring unwanted pressure into your life? I think we tend to busy ourselves in order to gain more, find acceptance among peers, land a better position, and gain riches of all kinds. Perhaps we live under the illusion that having such riches is what makes a person complete, content, and deliriously happy. Yet, when we discover that's not the case, we're left feeling empty and discontent.
Contentment and security are not found in career titles or in the kind of car we own. The logo on our car only tells others what kind of car we drive — not who we are. True satisfaction, in its purest form, is found in the wealth of who God is and the riches He graciously lavishes upon us.
Recently God's been showing me that when I constantly want more than He has given me, it reflects a heart that is discontent. What I'm saying to God is, "I'm not satisfied with what You have provided for me. I want more." In wanting more, I place undo pressure on myself in an attempt to get what God hasn't provided. Naturally, anxiety is the result when I focus on things other than God and His will for my life.
The pressure to have more and do more can lead us down paths we never intended. In our attempt to fill the vacuum of our empty souls, we discover that external luxury is only a cheap substitution for spiritual wholeness. As our key verse points out, Paul knew the secret of finding contentment. "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Take note that Paul wrote these words in a high stress situation as he sat in jail awaiting a verdict for a crime he didn't commit. I don't know if I could find contentment if I were in his sandals. I would probably strum my wooden cage with a rock singing pitifully, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow." Finding contentment doesn't mean we have to like our current situation, but it may require an appreciation for it. Let me explain.
Paul learned that the fruit of contentment is developed when we are thankful for what God has provided whether we like it or not. That's because peace isn't the absence of pressure. It's the presence of God and our attitude toward His provision in the midst of our stress. By expressing gratitude, Paul experienced richness of being, not having.
I realize you may be in a hard place right now and you're longing for freedom. Maybe you're in a job that feels like a dead end; perhaps you have two of them! It may be that you live in a space too small for your family and you hate it. You're not where you planned or hoped to be and you certainly don't like it.
The truth is, we don't have to like where we are or what we have, but if we will choose to thank God for His provisions regardless of our feelings toward them, we'll experience the same contentment Paul encountered.
We must understand that being thankful doesn't mean that God will eventually remove us from our situation. He may; He may not. Rather, being appreciative sets us free from the desire to have and lets us rest in the riches of contentment. And when we reach a place of contentment, we don't need earthly riches galore. God becomes our greatest treasure. In Him, we have everything we need.
Dear Lord, things could always be worse. I'm grateful for what You've provided for me. Fill me with Your peace so that I may be truly content in Your blessings. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Philippians 4:11b (NIV)
Have you ever noticed how overextending yourself tends to bring unwanted pressure into your life? I think we tend to busy ourselves in order to gain more, find acceptance among peers, land a better position, and gain riches of all kinds. Perhaps we live under the illusion that having such riches is what makes a person complete, content, and deliriously happy. Yet, when we discover that's not the case, we're left feeling empty and discontent.
Contentment and security are not found in career titles or in the kind of car we own. The logo on our car only tells others what kind of car we drive — not who we are. True satisfaction, in its purest form, is found in the wealth of who God is and the riches He graciously lavishes upon us.
Recently God's been showing me that when I constantly want more than He has given me, it reflects a heart that is discontent. What I'm saying to God is, "I'm not satisfied with what You have provided for me. I want more." In wanting more, I place undo pressure on myself in an attempt to get what God hasn't provided. Naturally, anxiety is the result when I focus on things other than God and His will for my life.
The pressure to have more and do more can lead us down paths we never intended. In our attempt to fill the vacuum of our empty souls, we discover that external luxury is only a cheap substitution for spiritual wholeness. As our key verse points out, Paul knew the secret of finding contentment. "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Take note that Paul wrote these words in a high stress situation as he sat in jail awaiting a verdict for a crime he didn't commit. I don't know if I could find contentment if I were in his sandals. I would probably strum my wooden cage with a rock singing pitifully, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow." Finding contentment doesn't mean we have to like our current situation, but it may require an appreciation for it. Let me explain.
Paul learned that the fruit of contentment is developed when we are thankful for what God has provided whether we like it or not. That's because peace isn't the absence of pressure. It's the presence of God and our attitude toward His provision in the midst of our stress. By expressing gratitude, Paul experienced richness of being, not having.
I realize you may be in a hard place right now and you're longing for freedom. Maybe you're in a job that feels like a dead end; perhaps you have two of them! It may be that you live in a space too small for your family and you hate it. You're not where you planned or hoped to be and you certainly don't like it.
The truth is, we don't have to like where we are or what we have, but if we will choose to thank God for His provisions regardless of our feelings toward them, we'll experience the same contentment Paul encountered.
We must understand that being thankful doesn't mean that God will eventually remove us from our situation. He may; He may not. Rather, being appreciative sets us free from the desire to have and lets us rest in the riches of contentment. And when we reach a place of contentment, we don't need earthly riches galore. God becomes our greatest treasure. In Him, we have everything we need.
Dear Lord, things could always be worse. I'm grateful for what You've provided for me. Fill me with Your peace so that I may be truly content in Your blessings. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
A song I wish to share
Fred Hammond - Thank You (I Won't Complain)
Comments
Now on to the "pow wow".....the costumes are so gorgeous and all that jewlerey..I know you purchased something..lol! You look so cute with your laid back look!
Roni
And as for the pow wow...you look amazing!!! and the jewelry is AMAZING!! Also look at those costumes!!
On to the pow wow! It brings me back to the long gone days of watching Reading Rainbow and the episodes where they would take you to pow wows... Anyway to be there in real life looks like such sweet awesome fun!!!!! The colors, costumes and details are sooooooooo AMAZING!!!!
~nic
xo
A_Riot
www.thickthreads.net
XX.Y
Myeshia
E. Louise
www.shapelylouise.com
kiah I like a lot your overknees boots,kissss
Don't you just love fry bread? I like it best with powdered sugar on it. Very,very good.
P.S. That outfit is so cool and cute love that shirt and the cut of your denim vest
Thanks for sharing such great words and music Kiah!
xoxo,
daisy
So, now that you made me catch the Holy Ghost!!!! I'm over here doing a Indian Dance looking like I'm at the POW WOW!!!!! Awesome photo's... wishing I could experience a POW WOW & you and your daughter look great!!!!
Amazing.
NRC ♥
thanks for sharing kiah!
jijixx
Hope you're well, Kiah. :)
Joy to the World
Love u Kiah! I missed ur blog so much
xoxo
Stella
Happiness is a state of mind.
I love the pow wow pictures, I finished a novel the other week called 'Grass Dancer' and I didn't know anything about pow wows so it's funny to now see it on your blog :)
best wishes, xox
Shana
ColorBlind
Thrifters Anonymous Monday Link Up
as for the pow wow, it looks like it was a lot of fun, glad your daughter was able to experience it.
peace and blessings,
PinkPopMash
I have a native mother & aa Father and no white person has ever been as racist to me as another native has.
Meanwhile, lovelovelove your look! Great photos of the event.
You are definitely right Kiah, thank you for posting these "words sent from God" You never know who they will bless.
Thanks!