A devotion to share

A few weeks ago I shared this devotion at my sister's bridal shower.    Here's my notes:
Contentment~Psalm 16~
Now, it may be that the Holy Spirit has been speaking to my own heart so loudly and persistently about this in my own life that I can't hear anything else, but as I prayed and thought about what to share with you tonight---Psalm 16 and contentment came to mind (right after submission and keeping milk in the fridge! :-) )

     What is contentment? And what does this have to do with marriage, and our desire to be good and godly wives to our husbands?

First, contentment is defined as:
"a resting and satisfaction of mind, without disquiet."
The opposite of content is: discontent, envy, greed, fear and worry

What does contentment look like in marriage?

First, we have to begin with GOD! You CANNOT be fully content in your marriage and with Tyler unless you are trusting, resting and satisfied completely in God. He is your ultimate provider: your needs CANNOT all be met by Tyler! You must go to God with your heart for all that He places in your life. Remeber verse 11: "You will fill me with joy in your presence".

So, after you are content in God and have found your joy in His presence, then you have to come to grips with whatever is in front of you that is causing your "discontent, envy, greed, fear and worry." God calls and commands us to be content whatever the circumstances and whatever the situation. (Phillippians 4:11-15) The power to be content comes ONLY from HIM, who gives us the strength.

What does this look like in marriage? How can can we practically live this out?

Because you trust in God, you can trust Tyler to lead and direct your home. You can be content in the provision he brings (not just finacial provision, the spiritual, emotional and physical!) Discontent and complaining ALWAYS tears our husbands down.

A wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands a foolish woman tears hers down. ~Proverbs 14:1

Discontent brings out our nagging and critical side, which is never helpful to our husbands or ourselves.

Being content, in God first and then Tyler, will be a gift that you can daily give Tyler. Think of how being this kind of wife, who encourages, supports and respects her husband, without complaining, keeping her heart content in God, will free her husband to lead and serve his family in the way that God directs him to.

One of the biggest issues I've had in my short years of marriage (and life) is dealing with the dissapointment of unmet expectations. I tend to expect certain things: my husband will do this, act this way, call me at this time, ect... and our life together will go this way. While it is OK to plan and dream, God has shown me that my expectations of my husband and our future are unbiblical.

Read James 4:13-15

Living life in submission to GOD's will for each particular day, allowing Him to direct my TO-DO list, gives the freedom to be content. My own priorities and expectations were faulty----in reality, looking back, I see that my husband has far exceeded my expectations in the things that I really need. He has loved me faithfully and tenderly through times and circumstances that have brought out all that is sinful and ugly in my heart. He is a godly man, and having him as my spiritual leader has benefitted and calmed my soul so very often! It really is true that, while much has changed in us over the past 10 years, I DO love him more than ever! His character is a souce of love and inspiration. The boundaries have fallen for me in pleasant and delightful places!!!!

      The other place where contentment is needed is with ourselves. It is so easy to get impatient with where we are...as wives and as women of God. I know that a year and a half ago, after going through a time of deep grief and depression, I was very discouraged because I couldn't see any fruit in my life. It's one thing to go through a hard time if you know there's something worthwhile at the end of it all! But I was still thinking on my own timeline....it's just now that the fruit of those years is coming to bear on my life. It's God's work to change us, and we have to be content with HIS timeline. There is no way to rush it! Character takes time! Be content, and again, TRUST GOD to do what needs done in your life.

I hope this was helpful to all of you ladies in some way, and that sometime down the road in your future, Grace, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that you will see the fruit of peace that contentment brings.

As I close, I would like to read an exerpt from my favorite author, Elizabeth Elliot. " {I}...have learned that He is indeed Enough. He is not all we would ask (if we are honest), but it is precisely when we do not have what we would ask for, and only then, that we can clearly perceive His all-sufficiency. It is when the sea is moonless that the LORD has become my Light. "

Lord, we acknowledge you as Enough. You are all we need, and when we are having hard day, we want to come to you with our hearts, our unmet expectations and dissapointments, and find IN YOU our peace and true contentment, and true understanding of life that acknowleges, even in the worst of times, because of Jesus, your judgement is not on us, and the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places. We are yours!!!!

Please bless Grace as she moves into the wonderful role of wife to Tyler. Grant her a peaceful heart and a contented spirit as she walks through life, supporting and loving Tyler. Bless their marriage, lead them and guide them through these early years, and all the decisions they will be facing.

You are so GOOD, God! We love you and praise you for the good gift of marriage! In Jesus' name, AMEN.