If You Want It - It's Yours

Are you somewhat sad and wish that you were happy?
Real contentment has a special set of laws;
Joy is not for sale, it’s only found in Jesus;
If you want it—it’s yours!
Chorus
If you want it—it’s yours!
If you want it—it’s yours!
Do you want the power to be a better person?
If you want it—it’s yours!

SASB 244, v3 and chorus (John Gowans)

Philippians 4:11 (New International Version)
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Regular readers of my blog will understand my retiscence to use the word 'happiness' when considering where I currently am in my walk of faith. I have seen some great opportunities for service come my way in recent years, however I'm not where I need to be... yet. Some 'strongholds' remain despite much effort and prayer to eradicate them. In some of these areas I am aware that a change needs to be made from within. It's a change in my own attitude of mind that is needed for me to progress, to achieve what I seek. However, if I cannot achieve 'happiness', can I at least achieve 'contentment', the word that I used in a recent blog?

I've blogged on happiness before, but never on contentment. Psychologists say that the formula for happiness is: pleasure + engagement + meaning. Who am I to argue with that? However, contentment seems to be subtlely different. One definition for contentment refers to a lasting quality that has more to do with achieving peace of mind than actual pleasure.

Part of the key to unlocking this is found in General Gowans' lyrics, mentioned at the top of this blog entry. 'Real contentment has a special set of laws'. One thing that I have shared before is a growing understanding of the freedom that Christians enjoy. You see, many friends and colleagues define who I am by what I do - or in some cases, by what I don't do. "You don't drink - you don't gamble - etc". I am encouraged to look at life with an understanding of who I am, not what I do.

When I blogged about life being a game, it wasn't because I wanted to ignore the rules. It was because I didn't want to play by other people's rules. There's another set of rules to follow; these are rules based on a living relationship with your creator, not just on do's and don't's. And as I seek to follow these new rules, and learn to trust Him more and more, He will lead me where I need to be. And in the meantime - He will help me to be content, whatever the circumstances. And I really need that...

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur or repine,
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
Chorus
He leadeth me, he leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me;
His faithful follower I will be,
For by his hand he leadeth me.
SASB 725, v3 and chorus (Joseph Henry Gilmore)

Lighten Up!

Something quite unusual (and wonderful) has happened to me this weekend. I think that an important piece of the jigsaw began to fall into place, and things are suddenly a lot clearer to me today than they ever were on Friday morning.

This has of course been a stressful weekend for many, with the England match on the horizon and all the passions coming to the surface as a result. Now I'm not a football fan by any stretch of the imagination, but like to support my country, cheer on our team. However, I'm quite aware that it's only a game when it's all said and done...

However, I came to the conclusion this weekend that the whole of life is sometimes just a game. And you know what that means...

Some people like to win, and don't like it when you don't play by their rules. Sometimes you are not advised of the rules before you start, or they seem to change as time goes on. Sometimes the rules are all too clear but you don't feel that you can ever measure up to them. Some times you are so concerned about the rules that all the fun of actually playing the game goes out of the window!

Add to that mix a whole host of frustration concerning malfunctioning computers (and that were the ones at home, not the work ones!) and a particularly challenging sermon on Sunday by the CO (Andrew's last before he moves appointment) and suddenly it all starts to add up. It took me a while, a few tears and a good deal of prayer, but I've got there. I think the phrase that nicely fits my current frame of mind is this one (a quote which I found on the 'net on Sunday night):

"Life, like all other games, becomes fun when one realises that it's just a game" - Nerijus Stasiulis

I have decided, therefore, to lighten up a bit. A conscious decision to loosen up. Which could prove interesting to some of my friends and colleagues. Going to have some fun this week!