Perhaps one of the most challenging yet rewarding roads to spiritual health is the discipline of single-minded satisfaction on what has come from God’s hand. And the best way to safeguard your contentment in Christ is to ask the Holy Spirit to whisper Psalm 119 into your ear every now and then: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.”  ~ Joni Eareckson-Tada

I’m usually pretty content with my life. 

That is, until I see that skinny girl on the cover of a magazine.

Or I hear of someone taking a trip to the beach in the dead of winter.

Or I flip through a furniture store catalogue while sitting on my scratched up sofa.

Or it’s swimsuit season.

Heh.

It’s crazy how easily we can talk ourselves into wanting to be more, have more, and do more. And for me, it happens the most when I let the world creep in where Jesus should reside instead.

Love God Greatly- Psalm 119

We’re a Distracted People

The world is shiny and glittery-full of all kinds of stuff that competes for our attention on a daily basis. Without even thinking, we often pursue contentment through the number on the scales, the size of our homes, and the success of our earthly relationships. We turn our eyes to the world and let magazines and media alter our expectations and dictate our moods.

And often we are let down.

“Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.”

~ Psalm 119:36-37

Things don’t necessarily start out as worthless. They become worthless when we elevate them above Christ.

Worthless things create unnecessary competition. 

Worthless things promote unattainable perfection.

Worthless things produce selfish discontentment.

Worthless things lead us down destructive paths.

Worthless things take our worship away from Jesus.

Do you feel like something’s missing in your life? Maybe you’re looking for contentment in all the wrong places…

The Turning

I’ve heard it said that what you behold is what you become.

If we’re going to turn from worshipping worthless things, we must discipline ourselves instead to treasure Christ. 

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” ~ Philippians 3:8

Practically…

1. We learn to treasure Christ through His Word. The Bible is an incredible love story filled with redemptive truth and reminders of God’s grace and faithfulness in our lives. Spending time in God’s Word deepens our understanding of who God is, who we are, and why lasting contentment can only be found in Him.

2. We learn to treasure Christ by cultivating a heart of gratitude. When we spend time recognizing God’s compassionate hand of provision in our lives, we’re less likely to focus on the worthless things of the world. True contentment is never far from someone who rejoices always, prays continually, and gives thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:17-18).

Have you been looking for contentment in all the wrong places? There is LIFE in God’s ways.

Turn and pursue Christ today…

At his feet,

LET’S TALK: Do you have a tendency to look for contentment from the world, or through Jesus? 

WhitneyD

WhitneyD

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