A Journey of Gratitude©

     Contentment has always been something I thought I had to strive to have.  Truth is I wasn’t sure how to even get my mind wrapped around what that meant.  Paul talked about being content in all circumstances. How does one find that when the world throws curveballs at you.  How does one become content in all circumstances when what life dishes out is really hard?

     For most of our marriage we were a one income family.  We chose that life when our kids entered this world. As a family of 7 it didn’t allow us to have much surplus but we always had what we needed.  We had enough to pay our bills and sometimes a little extra for a treat.

    On those occasions we would go to a fast food restaurant and have lunch or dinner out.  You would think we had won the lottery as we ordered our cheeseburgers and fries. The excitement of our children always astounded me.  They had no real idea what they were missing, they saw what they had and were content. A McDonald’s cheeseburger from the dollar menu was the best in their world.  Their gratitude was humbling. I learned a lot from them as I watched them appreciate the little things in life.

    By now, if you’ve read any of the things I post you know I’m a fan of Brene Brown’s books. Her study on shame and vulnerability have really spoken to me.  I find the results of her research to be spot on. One of the things she has spoken on is gratitude.  She states, “We’re a nation hungry for more joy because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude.”

     I realized something as I read those words.  I’m not prone to look for things to be grateful for.

     I can easily succumb to the details of the circumstances I find myself in.  It’s easy for me to see the glass half empty, to notice what’s lacking. It can make me into a real “Debbie Downer.”

     A few months ago a friend and I were discussing gratitude and how bad we were at it. She and I decided to start sharing them with each other.  We both needed a pick me up in the seasons we were walking in. We’ve been texting each other daily ever since. A couple more people have joined me.  It’s one of my favorite parts of my day, especially where we’ve been lately.  

     My husband was suddenly let go from his job almost 6 months ago.  There have been days when the silence from applications have caught up with us.  It’s been hard not to feel the weight of where we are. I work a part time job that doesn’t come close to being what we need for our bills.  It’s been a challenge not to let it pull me down.  

     To quote Brene’ again. “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.”

     As I make the choice each day to look for gratitude I’m finding it changing my perspective, putting me in touch with what really matters.  My outlook on the day quickly changes when I look at what is good in my life, with appreciation and thankfulness.

    That is what I saw with my children as we walked into McDonald’s.  They saw the privilege of a hamburger, fries and coke in a restaurant and were grateful.  It’s all perspective. It all comes down to what I focus on and consider.

    My children saw the simplicity of life and were so very grateful.  It became harder as they grew up and saw the lack we had versus the plenty their peers appeared to have.  The world grabs at us and tells us we are what we have. It all can get so blatantly distorted. It has always challenged me and yet as I look for gratitude in the midst, things are able to shift.  My lens changes.

    I have been astounded by the care of God during this joblessness.  As the weeks tick by I feel more settled than ever in the reality of His great love for me.  Because contentment isn’t about what I have, it’s about who I have.  It’s what makes the difference in a world of “never enough”.

    It’s not about having the latest and greatest.  It’s not about having a bank account that is filled or opportunities to take wonderful vacations.  I can be poor and discontent, I can be wealthy and discontent. The answer is the same, no matter what my circumstances are. Christ in me is the contentment.  The Passion Bible puts Philippians 4:4 perfectly “Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One.”

    Yes, it would be wonderful for a company to sweep my husband up and put him in their employment, but it’s not the answer to my contentment.  The secret to my contentment is the reality of knowing that I am united with the Anointed One, the One who overcame the world, the One who fills me with His strength, the One who loves me beyond my wildest imagination.

   The world comes at us in full force telling us to strive for more, to look at things and see where we lack.  God comes and offers us the ability to experience the joy of gratitude in knowing we have all we will ever need in HIm.

    Life with God in this world full of suddenlies can change me from the inside out.  In those difficult places I can lock my gaze on knowing that He is everything in this life I live.  The strength of His explosive power infuses me for every difficulty and that makes me content.

   Gratitude causes me to focus on what really matters. It makes me aware of all I have in Him. He is my contentment.  

    Today I am grateful for the 3 women who have journeyed in gratitude with me over these last few months.  What a beautiful time we’ve had.     

     ©copyright: 2019 Julie H Todd