Merry Christmas from Extending Hands!
A couple of years ago my husband and I were asked to share at church about surrender in our lives and what that looked like. It was the word that God had given me for that season. At the time we were surrendering a lot and didn't know where that would take us. Well, it took us to a place of much pain, hardship and struggle. We had the opportunity to praise God during this time or to blame Him and walk away and be bitter. We chose to stand firm and bless the name of the Lord despite what He gave or took away.
During this Christmas Season another word represents this month for me – contentment. “Reality minus expectations equals contentment.” I remember this quote from a pastor a long time ago! I will never forget it. It seems that as we have surrendered, we have been wrought with hardship, probably as training and stretching for our future full-time missionary work. So, I have felt that contentment needs to be a word I claim this season. I must choose to be content with all that I have and all that has been stripped from me. I must be content despite testing and trials because that is my reality. If I have expectations different from my path or the journey that God has laid out for me, I am envying others’ journeys and am being jealous of the "nicer" path it appears they are on. If I do not accept what God is doing in my life, keeping my eyes on Him, but instead am looking at other people’s paved walkways as I compare, I will miss out on what God is growing and stretching in me.
What if Jesus had wanted to go His own way when he came to earth? What if He was not content with how God allowed Him to come into existence here on earth? What if Jesus went around saying that He was better than being born in a manger or that He wanted disciples with master’s degrees instead of fishermen and a horse and chariot instead of a donkey. Jesus walked His path with the acceptance of divine and eternal contentment with His life here on earth. He knew the path would get very rocky, yet His eyes were kept on His Father's will until the very end.
That I might so live. Let it be that the rocky terrain and mountains and valleys and obstacles would be the journey I can't help but follow and that the word contentment would be the reality I choose to live out.
What are you contented with this season? How peaceful are you in your reality? God will meet you where you are and give you contentment this year. Just ask Him! Let us rest in Him!
Have a Wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season from all of us at Extending Hands!
