Content – Write 2 Be

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” ~Philippians 4:11-12

The bible verses above touches on a brief point mentioned in the message this past Sunday that really hit home with me given the struggles that I’ve been dealing with lately. It made me really look at things from another angle and realize that I spend far too much mental and emotional energy on being stressed and worried about things that I simply cannot control. Now recently I’ve symbolically thrown my hands up in surrender and have just come to grips knowing that I’ve done everything humanly possible for me to do and I had to leave the rest of the miracle work that I am going to need up to God because he’s the only one that can do the impossible.

After that realization I felt a sense of peace come over me and a friend of mine had asked me how I was not balled in a fetal position somewhere. I simply said because I put in the hands of the only one who can handle any and everything and I just have to let it go. Of course that doesn’t mean that I have forgotten that I have this huge issue that I’m dealing with that eventually has to be handled in one way or another. It just means that I realize I can only control the things that I can do physically myself and I can’t perform miracles so continuing to dwell in it only brings about more stress.

When the pastor this Sunday had made a statement regarding being content in life no matter where life takes you and not letting the ups and downs of life ever have control over how you feel and how you go about living your life. In many ways it tied in with the peace I felt of letting go. I hadn’t even realized, or come to terms with the fact that that was what I was doing until he made that point. Too many times we let whatever is going on around us control what goes on inside of us and that can lead a person to a point where they never truly feel any peace. Let’s be honest here, life throws obstacles at us on a consistent and steady basis and the chances of a world with absolutely no chaos is unlikely to happen in this lifetime.

The thing is figuring out what will be your source of strength to get through those chaotic times without losing your inner peace and joy along the way. Whatever your source of strength to find a way to deal with life’s curveballs, just make sure you aren’t afraid to draw on that source whenever you need to so that you don’t get so caught up in trying to figure out how you’re going to fix everything that you lose sight of the joy of what you already have right in front of you. For me I have started to read more of the bible and doing devotionals as well as leaning on a friend who motivates me spiritually as well as creatively. I am content where I am because even if everything falls apart I am still here to put it all back together again. Until next time… #BeContent #BeinFaith #BeatPeace

Jimmetta Carpenter

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“If you are foolish enough to be contented, don’t show it, but grumble with the rest.”

~Jerome K.

I am not a perfect person. I am a good writer, but by far, I am not the best that there is. I am driven and overly ambitious but I do, a lot of the time, tend to let my fear get in my own way. I will not do everything right all of the time and I am sure to get many more things wrong in this life before I leave it. It is a waste of time to pretend that I am anything close to what people might wish I could be.

I read online somewhere the other day something that said ‘until you make peace with who you are, you will never be content with what you have’. The only problem that I have with that saying is that I don’t think that anyone should ever really be content with what they have if their goals in life far exceed where they are right now. I have made peace with me and with all that I am, and more importantly with all that I am not and it took me a very long time to get to that point where I could be at peace with myself.

However, I can not say that I am content with what I have. Not out of some sense of being greedy and wanting more. And not because I don’t appreciate the things that I do have right now at this very moment, but because I know that there is so much more that I can be doing and goals that I am striving to get accomplished, and I can’t say I’m content yet. I know I could be doing better.

I think a state of contentment happens when a person gets to that point in their life where they can check off the majority of the things they set out to achieve, when they are where they need to be in life, and they don’t necessarily have to be rich, but rather self reliant and independent, and more importantly, stable. I am grateful, and very aware of the good things that I have had happen in my life, and of the potential that I have to do more with my life, but I do want to do more. I am not content with being ordinary, but rather, I strive to be extraordinary.

I think that sometimes people get complacent and they settle for what they have managed to achieve. Maybe they get in this rut where they honestly feel that they can’t accomplish the rest of their goals that they had wanted to achieve. That is not being content. That is settling for what you have managed to do so far. I think that it is okay to be at peace with the person you are and still not feel as if you are content. Once you reach the point of contentment, what else is there to strive for? Then what will our purpose be? I am who I am and I am okay with that, but I don’t think I will ever think that I am done doing what I was put on this earth to do. Until next time…If you think there is more in your life that needs to be done, are you really content?

Jimmetta Carpenter

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