Contentment In Every Season

Walt Stoneburner 

Perhaps its my personality. Or maybe because I'm a middle child. But it n-e-v-e-r crossed my mind to wonder what I would be doing when I hit this age. If I had dreamed it, I might have been smarter, richer, thinner, funnier, and wiser.

In some ways I'm a slow starter. A true-blue procrastinator.

For example, I was not married until after I turned twenty five. Most of my friends had three children by then.

Maybe that is why much of my adult life I have rushed to and through entire seasons of living.

When I married I was sure the first order of business was to get started on a family. 

When the girls were born I couldn't wait until they would sleep all night and could communicate what they were crying about. 

When their Dad was killed in an accident all I could think of was moving beyond that dark season of life. I admit that I pressed forward hard and had silent hopes someone would sweep me off my feet and take all the pain and trouble away.

When I began my relationship with Jesus I pushed to be some amazing Christian. I didn't grasp that I needed to just be a spiritual baby drinking spiritual milk, before I could ever learn to walk or run. 

On every level and in each aspect of my life, I never learned to rest in the season I was in. It seems I was always striving, reaching for what I thought should be next.

About six years ago I felt that the Lord was speaking to me about some things in ministry I was involved. Feeling that the Spirit had clearly spoken these things, I was on fire! It was one of the most frustrating seasons of my life. There was resistance at every turn.  It was as if a brick wall blocked each bend in the path. For years. It became so exasperating that I eventually stepped down from that  ministry.

Nothing made any sense at all. 

Another year passed and I saw God's hand begin to move. Everything I had thought the Lord told me began to come about. In His mercy I did get to be a part of it all. And it taught me some important things.

The first thing I learned was that I had not waited for Lords timing. When I received what I considered to be "the memo" I thought it meant NOW. Looking back I think it meant, "...pray now."

Secondly it taught me that I need to be more content right in the season I am in. Serving. Praying. Watching. Listening.  Resting. Embracing. Laughing. Living. Loving. And more praying.

The lesson spilled over into being present in what is currently happening in this moment, in every area of life. Marriage, family, ministry, friends, and milestones. The sweet stuff and the not so sweet stuff. To make peace with the things I can't change and to work at the things I can. 

Right now the Lord is preparing us. Shaping us. Molding us into something even more beautiful and amazing than we have the ability to understand. 

Being over fifty seems surreal. Some things are the best ever and some things are just hard. But I long to lap up every drop of what today has, because it too will soon be history.  

We girls like a good "secret" don't we?

Paul talked about "....the secret" of living this kind of life.

 ".....for I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little." Philippians 4:11-12 (emphasis mine)

Yes, Paul learned not to squirm off the table of his current situation and to be content even though he might not understand the things happening around him. Another word for 'content' is satisfied. 

I'm asking myself  this question, "Am I satisfied today?"

How about you?

Are you fully engaged in this current season of life?

How can we as sisters and followers of Jesus say today, "Lord I am satisfied with who You are and where You have me today?" 

Rhonda