Grow In Contentment, Grow In Power
Let God Dump the Bucket of Contentment on Your Head Today
Have you ever had a bucket of water dumped on your head? It’s almost worse if you know it’s coming. One minute you are feeling normal, and the next you are doused. Usually it is cold water, which is shocking and jarring. Your heart rate speeds up and you are in complete sensory overload for a second. Now you are fully reset—you have a new temperature, focus, and energy.
What would it look like if you were completely drenched in contentment? Super-saturated, dripping down, and overwhelming you—contentment, like cold water, can completely change your temperature, focus, and energy.
Contentment-saturation would look like being fully present in the moment. No wishing to be somewhere else, or doing something else, or being someone else.
Contentment-saturation would look like deep, happy breaths of joy.
Contentment-saturation would include being fully aware instead of numb. You savor every good sensation with joy and delight.
Contentment-saturation would include appreciating your personhood, your unique gifts and abilities, your passions and desires and excitement—all blessed and ordained by Jesus Himself.
Everyone around you would look different. You would notice their beauty and uniqueness. Each person would be very interesting just because they are made in God’s image. No one would be a means to an end for you—just a role or function—but a valuable person who reflects the glory of God with their existence.
You wouldn’t begrudge any hard tasks or look down on easy tasks. You wouldn’t feel so worried about success or failure, but could create with joy no matter the outcome. Being a co-creator with God would be enough, and His magnificence would be your obsession.
Ready to be drenched? It’s so simple. Be the little child that Jesus took in His arms and blessed. Acknowledge your weakness, helplessness, and neediness.
Let Him look at you—see you all the way to the bottom—and receive His love that lifts you to the skies. You are His favorite (He chose you!). You have His attention. You are made in His image. His blood has cleansed you of all sin, selfishness, and pride (you have a new identity, a new creation!). You are well provided for. Your welcome in the family of God is certain, and based on His earnings, His merits, His righteousness. No earthly goal, achievement, or relationship can compare with this.
What keeps us from contentment? Maybe we think that contentment will lead to complacency or laziness. Maybe we keep putting it off for the future: “I’ll be content when…” Maybe we don’t think God really wants good things for us in this life. Maybe we have such high expectations and entitlements that nothing will ever please us. Maybe we just don’t feel like loving God today.
Don’t let discontent continue for one more minute in your life. That toxic poison is the enemy’s tool to steal your joy, and dry up your relationship with God. A content person is a powerful person, because true contentment comes from God’s power alone.
Psalm 112 below is a reminder to be content because of all that God has done for us. Every word is true of us in Christ, when we see Jesus removing the wrath of God from us (the fear of the LORD). See how Jesus Christ won all these blessings for us on the cross by becoming our substitute. You may experience these blessings in this life, and you certainly will see them in the next.
Psalm 112
The Righteous Will Never Be Moved
[1] Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
[2] His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
[3] Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
[4] Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
[5] It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
[6] For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
[7] He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
[8] His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
[9] He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
[10] The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish! (ESV)
Big announcement: Drink from the River of Delight is FREE on Kindle from August 31-September 4! Be sure to grab your copy!
Janet, I really loved this imagery of being “drenched” in contentment—it hit me like that cold bucket of water you described. Too often I postpone contentment, thinking I’ll be at rest when certain things fall into place, but your reminder brought me back to the truth that Christ Himself is enough right now. Discontent really is a thief, but being rooted in Jesus makes us powerful, steady, and free. Thank you for pointing me back to Psalm 112 and to the joy that can only come from Him!
Embracing the moment is so important. When I choose to stay present, I can recognize the nearness of God. His presence in each heartbeat, His grace in every breath. Every inhale and exhale becomes a reminder that life itself is His gift.