What Is Our Rest Connected To? (part 4)

* our rest is connected to our contentedness

 I think this may be one of the hardest to master. Everywhere we look we have an opportunity to be discontent.

I know it’s taken me years to be content with my life and not compare it to others around me.

I love the hope that Paul gives us in Philippians 4:11-13:

“Not that I was ever in need,
for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.
I have learned the secret of living in every situation,
whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

To me, the hope in that verse is I can walk through every situation and find the rest of contentment … I can stop wishing it away, or wrestling with what it is and striving to make it something else … Because of GOD’S strength!

There were a lot of reasons I never felt like I had worth or was good enough. I grew up knowing we lacked money, that I wasn’t anything special ~ yada yada yada ~ so I thought if I had certain things or looked a certain way my life would be better, I would be better.

We cannot have rest when we are discontent with where we are, who we are or what we have.

Competition is a by-product of not being content. As a Jesus-Follower, I cannot define my success by comparing it to what others are doing. I need to define my success to what God has called me to do.

Success to God is being faithful!

It took time to not wish for a different season in my life, to compare where I was to someone else. It took time to embrace where I was in that moment.

This is part of the process of changing what we believe so that the truth will set us free. It took realigning myself to God’s Word and truly believing what He said about me and what life looked like with Him leading the way.

Is what we are seeing around us keeping us from embracing where we are now?
Is what we have heard about who we are, what we look like etc keeping us from hearing the truth that God is speaking over us?

We need to learn how to be content, it’s a choice and when we fail, we need to try again. That’s when we pull out Philippians 4:13 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Remember, beliefs form behavior.

One of the areas I have struggled in the most and can still descend into a down-ward spiral is comparing my self, my body to other women. I think as women we can all struggle with body shaming … if I only looked…

In her book Breaking Free From Body Shame Jess Connolly says:

“You are in a good body. You are not meant to live in shame. The truest thing about you is that you are made and loved by God. And the truest thing about God is that He cannot make bad things.”

Some of us may really need to hear that again…He cannot make bad things.

You and your body are a survivor of cancer, abuse, addiction, you carry chronic pain, you are a caregiver, you birthed-fed-raised babies, you had struggled with infertility and it’s treatments, you suffered crushing disappointments and loss.

You are here, even just barely, you are here and God wants to meet you.

You are in a good body. God cannot make bad things.

The turmoil and unrest of never being enough or having enough is not the abundant life God was talking about.

We need to get to the point that, like Paul, no matter:                       
what size we are
where we live
how much money is in the bank
if our house is Instagram worthy
how our kids do
if we can never have kids
we never thought our life would look like this
if that ‘dream’ becomes a reality or not
that we will be thankful and content with what is in our hands to hold now, right here, right now. We know that the strength to walk it out comes from God!!!!

Let me leave you with these questions:
How do you rate yourself with contentedness in your life? Is there an area of your life that you may need to embrace or let go of?
What was your reaction when you heard that “God cannot make bad things” and “You are in a good body. You are not meant to live in shame”? What do you need to do, if anything, to agree with God?

I know that God will meet you as you honestly reflect and answer those questions. He loves you!!!

Have an amazing day!!
All My Love ~
Jodi xo

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