MITCHELL BLOG

Marina - Finding Contentment

            Contentment….hmmm…that’s a tough word.  It’s funny; my husband and I have been seeking contentment and living in ‘perfect balance’ for all the almost 16 years we’ve been married.  We were talking the other day, again about something we were struggling with, and I said to him: “This is what  we’ve been talking about for years…how weird/frustrating that we’re still on this journey with  these issues!!”  And his response: “Of course we are, because I think finding a perfectly balanced life is impossible…it’s a myth!”

            And so we continue on our journey of dealing with weaknesses we had years ago, albeit we are better equipped to deal with them, we have more wisdom to handle them, and more experiences that have proven how trustworthy our Lord is.  It all reminds me of the apostle Paul begging God to take away what he calls a ‘thorn’ in his flesh.  I love God’s response, and I again look to that for the answer for my own weaknesses.

            “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

            Is there an area of your life that you are begging God to make easier, and He’s just not quite answering the way you want?  Could it be that He’s saying to you “My grace is enough for you, my child; rest in my grace, and peace will come.”??  So be it…the only way to contentment is through Him.

Marina - In His Steps

Serving God is full of complicated motivations, is it not?  As I served in the ‘normal’ traditional church for 2 decades, I am not 100% sure I was doing it for God.  I think I was, but the pats on the back from all the other Christians weren’t bad either!  As I have ventured out into ‘non-normal’ church and serving those less fortunate than myself in my own community, I have become keenly aware that my motives may not have been so pure.  I didn’t know I’d miss the pats on the back quite so much.  That’s a yucky thought…I want to serve God because it’s a pure and honest desire of my heart!  I’m learning that as I clean bathrooms of the needy, listen to the words of the lonely, prepare meals for the fatherless and the single moms (today’s widow, I should say…)- none of which can ‘pay me back’- this is where I get to experience the real heart of Jesus.  Didn’t he tell his followers that when we feed the hungry, visit those in prison, clothe those without clothes…that’s when we served Him?  Now, I’m certainly not categorizing service to God in ‘good, better, best’; I’m merely suggesting we do a motive check.  I have been so challenged, and continue to be challenged, to serve God in whatever capacity He puts me in.  And I grow more in my service to Christ when those situations do not include anyone ‘noticing’ my work or giving me a great public praise for how godly I am.  Striving to be like Jesus forces me to lay down my pride, ego, and ambition…and just follow in His steps.

Marina - Waving The White Flag

I don’t know about you, but I am always disappointed with myself when God reveals an area or areas that I am trying to control.  I haven’t really seen myself as a control freak before, but those who know me well might disagree.  I love God with all my heart and have decided that I am going to do whatever it takes to show Him my gratitude for all He’s done for me by loving Him and His people…(all of them, whether they believe what I believe or not!)  So when stress overwhelms me, I can be certain that I’ve lost the perspective I long to have…His perspective.  When I can see from a godly, eternal perspective, it’s hard to be stressed about anything.  If I can truly know and love and feel God, then how can I doubt that He is constantly at work, controlling everything in His time!  What it means is that I’ve “tried” to take back control…I’ve lost my resolve, ever so slowly, to surrender all things to God.

Have you heard the song “Slow Fade” by Mercy Me?  You should download it!  It’s amazing and gives a real picture of how giving in just a little bit begins the downhill slide.  It happens in everything we do…we’re dying for just one cookie…just one, right?  NOT!  Or we want to go shopping and get just a cute shirt, that’s all…but oh, those jeans fit sooo good, and I’ve never seen shoes like those before; I must have them!  You see what I mean.  It can also have a more serious tone:  I am hurt by what she said about me, so I just need to get her back…just this once, I’m going to tell the others what she did that I promised I would never tell!  Slow fade… morals don’t crumble in a day, families don’t crumble in a day, faith doesn’t disappear in a day…it’s a slow process of making decisions apart from God.  I am reminded that when I want to control my career, my finances, my marriage, my friendships…I will most likely ruin them.  I must surrender them to God and seek Him to make the best decisions.  Nancy DeMoss puts it this way in her book Surrender: the Heart God Controls:
    

 “You don’t want to surrender to God’s control?  You won’t bow to His will in relation to your marriage, your morals, your attitudes, your tongue, your eating habits, your spending habits, or the way you spend your time?  Then count on it – the very points on which you refuse to surrender will become ‘enemies’ that rule over you – lust, greed, possessions, food, sloth, immorality, anger, etc…”

What are you trying to control that is not going so well?  Do you think it’s time to wave the white flag of surrender so that God can handle it correctly?