Tag Archives: strength

Deep Breath Before the Plunge

In one of my favorite books, The Return of the King, Gandalf, the venerable wizard, and Pippin, the playful but maturing Hobbit, arrive at a major city at the cusp of an enormous battle. Everyone is on edge, waiting for it to start. Gandalf calls it “the deep breath before the plunge”. I’ve been here several times in my life, on the edge of something completely life-changing.

Before I left for college, the first person in my close-knit family to leave home, move to another state, and complete a bachelor’s degree. 

Before I moved overseas, to another country to learn a new, difficult language and be immersed in a new culture. 

Before I moved back to America, not knowing in the least what was next. 

Before I got married, choosing to trade singleness for lifelong partnership. 

And now, I sit at the cusp of adopting four children, ages two to seven. I’ve taken lots of deep breaths before this plunge. These quiet moments of preparation before my “normal” is completely turned upside down are precious, and frightening at times.

In the weeks or months leading up to a big change, my heart has a tug of war with itself. I don’t like change, yet God’s given me an adventuring spirit that is willing to go into uncharted territory. All the what-ifs swirl around my head. I am a champion at worst-case-scenarios, which makes for great story-telling, but leads to anxiety in my personal life. It is all too easy to spiral down into fear and despair, long before any difficult thing actually happens. I’ve had moments of panic, wondering what in the world I was thinking when I made this decision. Surely you can’t handle this. It’s too hard. It’s too big. And too uncomfortable. 

And while those things are true of every adventure I’ve embarked on, there is another truth that rings even truer. If God asked me to do this, he will be by my side supplying grace, strength, perseverance, and wisdom to accomplish it every step of the way. This is his plan, not mine. I’m not writing this story, he is. And I must trust the Author. 

Even if nothing of the rest of my life is as I planned, expected or hoped, I will still cry out, “I have no good apart from [God]!” (Ps. 16:2). He is my never-changing Rock of Ages in the midst of the enormous, approaching change. Everything around me will look different in a few weeks, but he is and always will be the same. 

Savior.

Provider.

Faith-giver.

Way-maker.

My Rock and fortress.

My God in whom I trust. 

This leap of faith says nothing about me. I will never be able to look back and boast, “Look at all the amazing things I did.” No. I don’t have any faith in my own abilities. I am weak. I have and will fail. No, all the good in me is God’s work. He get’s all the credit and glory. I’m just a vessel, a clay jar in which he hid his surpassing treasure. He is worthy and he is with me. I’m ready for the plunge. 

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

1 Corinthians 4:7

The Secret to Contentment

Are you content? Is your house big enough? Is your work meaningful enough? Are your children good enough? Does your spouse do enough? Do you have enough?

Contentment is an elusive term, and even more of a difficult attitude to cultivate. We can tell ourselves we are content all we want, but deep in our hearts dissatisfaction lurks. We want more.

Search for Satisfaction

To be content is to be satisfied with what one has and not want more or anything else (dictionary.com). Contentment is being thankful for what we have, not always on the lookout for what we don’t. The root of contentment is satisfaction, and when we seek it from the wrong place, we come up empty, dissatisfied, and wanting.

Dissatisfaction is universal, but we Americans are grossly guilty of it. As a culture, we are materialistic, spoiled, and demand the best in all things. “The American Dream” has long represented riches many only dream about. Yet we are still deeply discontent and always looking for the next thing, relationship, or experience to make us happy.

Christians aren’t immune to it either. Dissatisfaction leads us to move from church to church in search of the “perfect” experience. It leads us to gossip about our sisters and brothers to tear them down and build ourselves up. It leads us to jealousy and fake smiles when another receives something we long for. Dissatisfaction leads us to sin.

Paul’s Secret to Contentment

As in all things, Scripture provides us with the tools and knowledge to find and cultivate contentment. In Philippians, Paul thanks the church of Philippi for supporting him financially. However, amid his thanks, he gives us a beautiful nugget on contentment.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Phil. 4:11-13

Paul didn’t have a cushy life. In fact, much of the American Church would shrink away from the suffering that came with Paul’s obedience to the Lord.

 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

2 Cor. 11:24-28

How could Paul, after enduring all those things, say that he was content and satisfied? His secret to contentment is this:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

God isn’t asking us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and muster up satisfaction all on our own. Like willpower, whatever satisfaction we conjure up for ourselves is fleeting. Popular self-help books tell us to “believe in ourselves” and “you are enough”. Scripture tells us this isn’t true. Only dependence on God and his strength will lead us to contentment in plenty and in need.

Our Ultimate Satisfaction

God offers himself as the key to our ultimate satisfaction and joy. He knew our deepest need, the need for a right relationship with him, and sent his Son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. He defeated our greatest enemies, sin and death, to give us abundant life in Christ Jesus.

When we follow Jesus, his righteousness is transferred to us. We stand before God pure and clean, and he brings us into a relationship with him as a beloved child. Our greatest need is met in Jesus, therefore no matter what we face in this life, we can be satisfied and content. Our darkest day on earth is the closest we’ll ever get to hell. And not only that, but Paul goes on to say,

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Phil. 4:19-20

God is a good father who loves to give good gifts (Matt. 7:7-11). He will provide for your needs in his perfect time.

Fight for Contentment

The battle for contentment is difficult, but necessary for Christians. How do we fight? Consider these action steps if you’re struggling to capture elusive contentment:

  • Ask God to show you the root of your dissatisfaction.
  • Repent of any sin that is stemming from your dissatisfaction (control, unbelief, impatience, critical spirit, etc).
  • Remember the Gospel and rest in the knowledge that your deepest need has already been met in Jesus.
  • Pray and ask the Lord to give you his strength to find satisfaction and contentment in your current circumstances.
  • Memorize scripture to fight for contentment when your wandering heart tries to return to dissatisfaction.
  • Share with an accountability partner.

God loves you and wants to satisfy your heart-of-hearts in Jesus Christ. Don’t try to find contentment in your things, relationships, or experiences. He knows you. He loves you. He will satisfy you.