Satisfied
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. ––Romans 14:17
The Holy Spirit’s constant message to every believer is to find satisfaction in God. Joy and peace are the by-products of contentment and thanksgiving for the life God has assigned to you. When I daily accept my situation in life, good days and bad, the possibilities of joy and peace become realities. There is no such thing as a joyful and peacefully discontented man. But when I learn how to be content, possess it, and fight to preserve its power in my life, all of the fruit of the Spirit is mine.
One of the highest forms of spiritual warfare is also the simplest: stay grateful and content. When you are content in who you are and what you have, Satan has no handholds upon which to gain traction in your life. Here’s how. Contentment is a way of thinking and doing, and when we have an intimate relationship with God, contentment is a big byproduct. Conversely, when we are not walking closely with the Father, we begin to lust for things: power, money, sex, position, etc. It’s the proverbial God-shaped hole inside every person—it’s going to get filled with something!
So how do you achieve a state of contentment? Stay in a place of awe and wonder over God’s presence, purpose, and plans unfolding in your life by the discipline of gratitude. Paul tells the Hebrews, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe … “ (Hebrews 12:28). Notice the language: be thankful. It doesn’t say “do thankful,” which tells us that the mission of the Holy Spirit in your life is to develop a spirit of thankfulness as a way to be. This means having an awareness of your indebtedness, acknowledging that God is good in all He does, and affirming His goodness with a life of gratitude. I’d encourage you to do a “gratitude list” during your morning sit, at least in your head. Then, about once a month or so, actually write it out and keep it handy. When you’re having an especially tough day, pull it up as a reminder of all God’s given you.
In Christ there is always plenty to be thankful for. If you find yourself struggling to come up with stuff, it is a sure sign that the dark voices of the flesh and the devil are plotting some disobedience options for you. Being aware of your discontentment is a great way to battle it. In other words, if you feel stuck or bored, why? If you are worrying about the future, what is it you are afraid of? I’d suggest you make an inventory of the things that are causing you discontent. Then ask God to reveal the reasons behind each item. Talk it through with someone; just getting it into the light can take away a lot of its negative power over you.
Father, Your goodness in my life is immeasurable. Thank you!