My chosen portion and my cup

It is late and at this time of the night it feels like it has been a long day. As I hurriedly put on my pajamas and slipped into bed, it seemed I needed nothing more to find rest than a taste of the scriptures to end my day with. I opened to Psalm 16 and was reminded of how much I  love this Psalm. For me,  I am renaming it my own personal "Psalm of Contentment." As you may recall, I am currently in training for becoming a "Contentment Expert." 

As we all struggle with finding our contentment in other things but Jesus, may this be a refreshing piece of truth to help us gain perspective.

PSALM 16 (italics mine)

PRESERVE ME, O GOD, FOR IN YOU I TAKE REFUGE.

I SAY TO THE LORD, "YOU ARE MY LORD; I HAVE NO GOOD APART FROM YOU." (So I doesn't matter what else I get or have in this life as long as I get you)

AS FOR THE SAINTS IN THE LAND, THEY ARE EXCELLENT ONES, IN WHOM IS ALL MY DELIGHT.

THE SORROWS OF THOSE WHO RUN AFTER ANOTHER GOD SHALL MULTIPLY  ( Ever been a bad mood and thought, "All I need is a Starbucks run, then I will be happy. You get your gonna-be perfect and make everything better latte....and it's cold. Well, mabye I'll just go to Target then and see if I can't have any luck on the sales rack.....no luck. Unless of course you consider a toddler tantrum in the middle of Target lucky? I think that is the idea here. Let's stop wasting time with our idols and just go straight to Jesus)

THEIR DRINK OFFERINGS OF BLOOD I WILL NOT POUR OUT OR TAKE THEIR NAMES ON MY LIPS.

THE LORD IS MY CHOSEN PORTION AND MY CUP; YOU HOLD MY LOT. 

THE LINES HAVE FALLEN FOR ME IN PLEASANT PLACES; INDEED I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL INHERITANCE.(This is a good verse to memorize)

(Will we trust that HE is enough for the little things and the life altering things? Are we content with the Lot HE has given us? Do we complain about our circumstances or blame them on someone else instead of seeing it as God's chosen lot for you that he holds in his hands? A lot that is given to us coupled with the gift of himself as our portion. Will we choose HIM as our portion or Shopping, food, kids, husband, etc. One is a much more filling portion!  We can say along with the psalmist that our lines have fallen in pleasant places, not because life is like we want it to be but because we have been given Jesus himself and the beautiful inheritance of the Father. Remember this is being said by a man probably hiding in caves at this point. Not exactly a dream house.)

I BLESS THE LORD WHO GIVES ME COUNSEL; IN THE NIGHT ALSO MY HEART INSTRUCTS ME.

I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME; BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, I SHALL NOT BE SHAKEN. ( I love this. I have the Lord as my counselor. It doesn't get better than that. When we set the Lord and his truth before us, it protects us in our decision making)

THEREFORE MY HEART IS GLAD, AND MY WHOLE BEING REJOICES; MY FLESH ALSO DWELLS SECURE. (These things previously spoken of are the things that make us happy, make us secure, not the everyday small idols we erect around us)

FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO SHEOL, OR LET YOUR HOLY ONE SEE CORRUPTION.

And the cherry on top....

YOU MAKE KNOWN TO ME THE PATH OF LIFE; IN YOUR PRESENCE THERE IS FULLNESS OF JOY; AT YOUR RIGHT HAND ARE PLEASURES FOREVERMORE.

I pray you are blessed and encouraged by God's word. I know I am. What will you choose as your portion and your cup to drink down tommorrow? The riches of the Heavenly Father or the junk of this world?

Worry Wart

The name-"worry wart"- makes me think of a person running around like a chicken with their head cut off. For some this is what worry looks like. For me it is still worry but it is more of the under the surface anxiety. Sure, I have some MAJOR fears, real, wake you up at night fears (more these days as God seems to bringing them to the surface). But I have found the word 'discontent' to accurately label my mood many a day. You know the nothing put me in a bad mood, but nothing can put me in a good mood thing. Or just the flat out dislike or distrust of the portion that God has given me (psalm 16:5). So, as I am encouraged by my pastor, I am trying to make myself an expert in my area of struggle. That's right, me, the 'Discontentment expert.' I should make a tag. So as an 'expert in training,' here are some of the things I am learning:

• To start with, Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
• "Philippinas 4:6 "do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will gaurd your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
• To paraphrase this... Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything.*
• Our anxiety should be a springboard for praying specifically*
• "Our part in the process of learning to be content is a heart choice. A choice to pray rather than be anxious." - Linda Dillow
• Memorizing scripture increases the Holy Spirits vocabulary in your life."- Cynthia Heald

So based on my meditation of these truth's I have come up with this, my own personal definition of contentment.
" A quiet, peaceful, trust in a God who brings His delight in His person, not in circumstances."


I would love to hear from you guys about your thoughts on battling discontentment.

*These thoughts are from Linda Dillow in her book "Calm my Anxious heart."