Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Healthy Living”
Our Bible verse for today: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “In order for our lives to be in proper balance, we must learn to be content.”
One of the primary reasons life sometimes gets out of balance and unhealthy is that we are not content. Rather than simply being satisfied with what we have, we convince ourselves that we need more, bigger, better. We then work longer and harder so we can earn more so we can then buy more. We also fill our lives with endless activities because we believe doing so will increase the quality of our lives.
But all of that leaves us stressed, strained, and drained. The answer, as Paul taught in 1 Timothy 6:6, is to learn to be content. Maybe we don’t need more, bigger, and better after all. Maybe what we have already is good enough, maybe even more than enough.
In his book, “Cure for the Common Life”, Max Lucado tells the story of a farmer who was discontent with life on his farm. He complained about the animals that always needed attention; he was weary of tending the crops; he was tired of looking at the same old scenery. He decided he was going to get rid of the farm and move somewhere nicer. So he called a real estate agent and made plans to list the farm for sale.
In just a few days the agent called him back, wanting approval for the ad she was about to place for the farm. She read the ad to the farmer. It described a lovely farm in an ideal location – quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, carpeted with soft meadows, nourished by a fresh lake, and blessed with well-bred livestock. The farmer said, “Read that ad to me again.” After hearing it a second time, he said, “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to sell. I’ve been looking for a place like that all my life.”
The moral of the story of course was that the famer already had what he really wanted and needed, but he had allowed himself to take it for granted and to become discontented with what he had.
Many times we become consumed with thoughts of what we don’t have and we lose sight of what we do have. If we practice a little more contentment we will be less likely to cram our lives with a bunch of things and activities we don’t really need. And, we will be healthier and better balanced for it.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 