We are Blessed!

It occurred to me today, not for the first time, that it can be really helpful for our contentment to think about how people live that are less well off.

We have been moving all the contents of the rooms around in our house, and it is so easy to be tempted to complain or think, ‘if only’ when things aren’t exactly as you would like them to be.

But when I start to think like that my mind quickly goes to a book I read recently of missions work in Hong Kong. There were families that only had one room between them, and shared one bed. 

That would certainly make it less far to walk when the kids wake up at night, but I can think of a lot of reasons why I wouldn’t want it that way too!

So now I tell myself, ‘Well at least we’re not all in one room!’ That really puts the lid on any feelings of discontent that might come – because we are blessed! We’re blessed with so much that others don’t have, and we have no reason to complain.

And even if we had less than that, we still have food and clothing, which is all we really need.

‘Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.’ 1 Tim 6:6-8

We also have God with us – the great and powerful loving God who made the universe!

‘Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”’ Heb 13:5-6

One book that was really good for me was ‘Singing Through the Night’. It contains courageous stories of Christian women living in places where there is persecution. If you read a book like this, it will take your eyes off yourself and help you realise you are blessed.

I would just like to encourage you, when you start thinking discontented thoughts of, ‘if only…things were different’, to turn your thoughts to people who are a lot worse off.

It has helped me to grow in contentment, and also to give thanks to God for what he has blessed us with. We have so much to be thankful for!

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6 Responses

  1. Charlotte says:

    Great post. There are always others less fortunate. It does help put things into better perspective when you think about those who have a harder life.

  2. Rhoda says:

    Hi Charlotte, yes there always are others in some way or other less well off than us.

  3. So true great post

  4. T.C. says:

    We haven’t had hot water for about 2 years cos we can’t afford to have our boiler fixed, but we have an electric shower and clean running water!

    Contentment can be hard to find sometimes when you’re struggling to make ends meet and keep a marriage together!

    I hold on to the fact that I know God wants the best for me, the problems we have faced have been self inflicted. But the blessings he has given us are uncountable and some I probably don’t even notice, but they are there!

  5. Rhoda says:

    T.C. Thank you for commenting 🙂 I’m glad that you’re still blessed with all that going on! Contentment definitely seems to be something we have to grow in with time, and is especially hard when everything happens altogether and life seems impossible.