But Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain

Tonight the kids and I went to the library's end of summer reading ceremony. I was proud of the kids for being so diligent with reading and turning in their logs. For each reading log turned in they received a ticket to put in the prize box of their choice for drawings that took place at tonight's ceremony. I tried to prep the kids on the car ride there that they may not win, one of them may win, etc. Needless to say, no one in our family took home a coveted prize. One of my children in particular had a really difficult time with this. In her blatant honesty she said, with big tears running down her face, "But everytime I look at the girl who won the monkey I wanted and see how happy she is playing with it, it makes me so sad that it's not mine".

How common to our struggles even as adults yet very few would be as honest as my little one. (You see children don't know what's acceptable to confess socially yet...hmmm) It reminded me of my struggle with infertility some 8 or 9 years ago. It's funny, I think about the people who sit behind me at church and how they must be thinking, "Wow, what a bunch of kids, she certainly must be fertile!". Everyone has a story, you just never know what it is and how your assumptions can be so far off. Anyway, I struggled with unexplained infertility for 3 1/2 years. During that time most of my friends were getting pregnant left and right, one baby shower after the next, then as the years passed many of my friends began to conceive baby #2. I remember experiencing the same thoughts, "Everytime I see a pregnant belly or a newborn and see how happy they are, it makes me so sad that it isn't me".

But in His gentle loving way, my God reminded me, "But Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6) and "Rejoice with those who rejoice" (Romans 2:15) and from Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 that there is a season for all things.

I was also greatly impacted by the song "Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

So I end this post with what my daughter's last question tonight. "But Mom, I am jealous. How can I stop being jealous?" My response was, "My dear, you CHOOSE, you have to make a choice." And right then and there we prayed God would give her the strength and discipline to make that choice today.

What choice do you need to make today to surrender to the season God has specifically placed you in today? Godliness with CONTENTMENT is great gain.