Back Flips and Cartwheels

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Tim 6:6

My granddaughter Kherington opens her eyes each morning and hits the floor running. She is a little spirit that runs about wildly, heart wide open and squeezes every ounce there is to squeeze out of life. She works hard, she plays hard, she studies hard and plans hard. She is my sweet treat who ‘goes hard in the paint!’ She seems to me to always be content in whatever is before her. She tries to make the best of every situation even when disappointment worms its way into her day. It is rare when I don’t turn to see her feet pointing to heaven as she walks around on her hands. It is very common to have a conversation with her as she is doing back flips. I have to maneuver between cartwheels and splits. But at the end of the day, she also crashes because she has sought things during the day that has satisfied her heart.

I took this picture last month when the grands were with us for 8 days. This morning as my Bible study continued to speak about contentment this picture came to mind. ‘The word rendered content reminds me of a tired and exhausted child who finally falls asleep in the arms of her mother, or on the softness of her pillow. Satisfied. No longer restless. No longer disquieted.’ What Matters Most, Karen Ehman, p. 151.

Each of us will choose daily pursuits which will culminate in discontent or great satisfaction. The Bible gives us the answer before we even ask the question regarding contentment. When we seek the things of God and develop an intimate relationship with Him everything else flows from that relationship. Contentment in its purest form is the fruit that grows from our pursuit of God. Nothing on this earth was created to compete with God and His beautiful promises of peace and purpose. When we sincerely and completely trust God, we can be content in all circumstances knowing that God will supply every need in every situation. Whatever you lack today, God will provide. Whatever our hearts dream, God fully knows. Whatever we pursue will be what we eventually find, so may we all seek the One who longs to be found.

‘The secret to being content is an eternal mind-set; a thought process that realizes all the trinkets and treasures and the possessions and positions here on earth are temporary. The only thing that lasts is our position in Christ and His Spirit living in us.’ What Matters Most, p. 151.