a greatful and contented heart

Woman at Her Writing Desk Johann Ender

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 This was an eye opening scripture for me lately. I wonder sometimes, what is God's will for me. The situation I'm in right now is God's will and he expects me to find the good in it. An old saying comes to mind--every cloud has a silver lining.

I often go back to the book The Hiding Place. Corrie and her sister Betsy found themselves in a terrible situation yet decided to make the best of a bad situation. They thanked God for their surroundings including the fleas. Later they learned it was the fleas that allowed them so much freedom.

Another autobiography set in that terrible time, The Endless Steppe, similarly tells the story of a young girl shipped to Siberia. Her father was a Jewish business man in Poland. The family was sent to Siberia, where the suffered many hardships and learned to survive and thrive. After the war, they learned that this hardship had been the means of saving them from a worse fate.

It is alright to plan for the future and dream of tomorrows. However, we must not forget to be grateful for our situations and live them today. When I had little children, I often got a bit put out if they forgot to hang up their jackets or clean their rooms  or made messes in my newly cleaned house. Then I learned a little secret. It was my job to teach my children good habits. Instead of choosing to act the martyr, I decided to be grateful that I had children to teach, grateful that the children had jackets, grateful that we had a house to keep clean. This made all the difference in the world. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" to the 2 Corinthians 10:5


" Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2 Continuing in gratitude helps me see God's hand in my life and helps me want to be ready to see Him again. The place He is preparing for me is grander and more lovely than any earthly dwelling I can imagine. Keeping this in mind, I'm reminded to make my current home a safe place by keeping it clean, serving my family, and leaving negative emotions out of the picture.

When we have a grateful heart, we are less negative and our loved ones feel appreciated. This sets in motion a domino effect of joy and happiness. As in all cases of joy vs. misery, we choose our path. "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:11-12


We smile and decide to be happy and grateful. This makes for a much more contented life. "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee" Psalm 5:11