Contentment as a gift from God
by Kimberley Pfeiffer
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Ahab went home resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him … He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would not eat (1 Kings 21:4).
As a mother of young children, I am extremely familiar with the effect that not getting what you want can have on a person. Sometimes, I am called to remind my children about some of life’s harsh realities. I find myself saying, ‘Yes, I can see how much you want “X”, but it is not yours to have’. Our children remind us of our own feelings of disappointment as we watch them wrestle with and express their dissatisfaction: whether it be by tantrum, tears, angry outbursts, sulking or even the cold shoulder. King Ahab here masters the art of sulking.
His wife Jezebel, out of a desire to please her husband, thought up a plan to get him exactly what he wanted. She carried out her plan that involved forgery, fabrication, false testimony and resulted in murder. After all, she only wanted Ahab to be happy. I don’t doubt that in her mind, overcoming the obstacle of Naboth and his vineyard was an act of true love, albeit far from an honourable one.
In Christ, we are able to discover that God’s plan for our life is good and unlike his plan for anyone else. Everything you have has been given to you out of God’s abundant goodness and mercy. Your possessions, your family, your community, and even your faith in God is a gift. When we give thanks to God for his gifts, we are reminded about who he is, his goodness and his love for us. We are freed from looking over our shoulders at what other people have. Then we can find contentment in the circumstance that sets the stage of our own story.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me faith in you through Christ that gives me eyes to see you and the gifts that come from you. Please help me to find peace and contentment in the gifts you have given me and the life you have called me to lead. Please hear my prayers when I struggle to sort out the desires of my heart. Help me to desire good things that are according to your will and flow out of your merciful goodness. In Jesus Christ, Amen.
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