CONVERGENCE

Recently I had a convergence of conversation and thought on a completely different subjects.  Confused Yet?  

During a lunch time conversation with a dear friend, we hit upon Paul and his famous words,

"I am not saying this because I am in need,
 for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
Philippians 4:11

As we explored where life finds us currently, we also admitted to the age old dilemma of looking at the grass on the other side of the pasture and wondering why our grass seems pale in comparison.  Why do I climb mountains~to see the view on the other side.  Always convinced the view will be better on the other side, I am on a quest to climb to the top no matter the effort to gaze upon that wonder.  There are times--the view is the same no matter which way you look.

As I walk The Wonder Dog, I pass by each and every house in the Hood.  One cannot help but wonder as you walk by, what the lives of those inside those houses looks like.  They still have children at home, they have no worries over the future, their family seems to be around a great deal---on and on ~what do they have that I do not.  How easily I forget the beauty right under my nose.

AND the other subject--this week's small group discussion is on "Putting Aside Childish Ideas on Prayer".  CONVICTED!  How much time is spent in prayer seeking what we think will be the answer to happiness instead of God's will for us.  We are talking over how to pray and the limitations God places uon Himself.  George Mueller puts the finger on the pulse beat of our problem when we pray with these words, "Prayer, apart from Scripture, is ninety percent illusion."  God will not violate His nature, nor His laws, nor human freedom when responding to our prayers.  What God desires for us is to be within His will and not presuming our will to be His.

As I have rolled this around, it occurred to me God's desire is for me to be content--content with who I am, where I am, what I have and especially His great love.  When I look closely in my own windows, I realize no matter what the neighbors may have--there is not one thing wrong--and in fact I am richly blessed in my own skin.  What more could I possibly need than all God has lavished upon me?  I need to remember things always look good when using the filter of my own imagination.  The truth is--I have no idea what is inside those walls and good or bad I need to concentrate on my own house and not my neighbor's.  When I take a close look, my grass is a rich beautiful green.

When I find myself straying away from contentment, and begin to pound the heavens with my petitions for what I think I need, I need to remember---"Be content".  God will answer my prayers.  "God always answers prayer in one of two ways; either He changes the circumstances or He supplies sufficient power to overcome them.  He answers either the petition or the person."  AMEN and AMEN!

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain
I Timothy 6:6