A Woman's Journey to Contentment

Have you ever struggled with being happy right now? I mean the you've got bills to pay, school work is stressing you out, your boyfriend broke up with you, your best friend betrayed you, your children won't stop nagging you, your boss fired you kind of right now. I find myself guilty of always wanting to be in the next season: I'm single - I want a relationship, I'm in a relationship - I want to be single, I'm in school - I want to be working, I'm working - I want to go back to school. Never can I seem to find a sense of contentment in my current season.

Priscilla Shirer, author of "The Resolution for Women"

A few weeks ago I stumbled onto Priscilla Shirer, an author, motivational speaker, wife and mother. She was discussing 10 of the 13 resolutions in her book "The Resolution for Women". The first resolution just happened to be "A Resolution to be Content":

I do solemnly resolve to embrace my current season of life, and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment.

Priscilla encourages us as women to be content just where we are. If you are single get the most out of this season: travel, go to conferences, put your all into ministry. If you're married with small children enjoy the opportunity to mold and shape their young minds. If you're married with teenagers enjoy watching your children grow into adults. In each season there is much to be revealed about ourselves. At each stage we grow in different ways and also observe our relationship with God take on a new shape as we add to our life experiences.

So what if you were dumped? How many times did you miss church because you wanted to continue snuggling up to your beau on Sunday morning? So you're not getting any sleep because you have a newborn? How about you sing praise songs to your child and talk to God as you rock your baby to sleep at 2am? You're lonely because your children recently left the nest? How about you take this time to strengthen your relationship with your husband? Why not engage in more volunteer work or host a Bible study in your home? There are so many examples I can give you. The point is to find a reason and means to be content right here, right now despite everything that is going on.

In each season of our lives we need to take time to see how God's hand is moving. What are we missing in our rush to be in the next season of our lives? What little blessings are we blind to because we're in such a rush that our vision is blurred?

Priscilla notes, "There are good things to be had right where you are." Say to yourself right now:

There are good things to be had right where I am.

Here's my story. Just a few weeks ago my boyfriend dumped me. I spent many nights crying and asking God why. Why me? Why make me go through this again?! What did I do?! After hearing Priscilla's message my whole outlook changed. I told myself, "Zemi, this is the last time you will be in this season so work on you." I'm working on becoming more patient, more understanding, less controlling and less volatile. I'm working on my body, mind and spirit and I'm so much happier. Sometimes I do get low. I begin thinking: "He doesn't miss me. He fooled me. He's talking to all these girls." Sometimes I just want to cry into my pillow because I miss what we had. As the tears begin to fall I look up Priscilla's video. I remember this is the last time I will ever be single. I remember how God has been blessing me - how He pulled me out of a deep pit of hurt into His comforting embrace - and I feel so refreshed. I love the Lord and can actually see the way He's moving in my life all because I've begun making an effort to be content. I can't waste one single day being sad when I have so much living to do.

I do solemnly declare to live with a spirit of contentment. Do you?

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