Contentment with Sara Boninu

How and why are we called to contentment in Christ? Our friend and Willowdale Chapel Youth Pastor Sara Boninu joins us for a lively discussion on how we all struggle with contentment. But the good news is Christ provides a way toward contentment through himself. 

@thisistrustworthy

trustworthypodcast.com 

 Email us listen@trustworthypodcast.com

Transcript

Copy

18.854625 23.194625 - Well, good morning, Mary Beth and Sara.
23.194625 25.554625 - Good morning, Sarah and Sara.
25.554625 27.934625 - Good morning, Mary Beth and Sarah.
27.934625 29.234625 (laughing)
29.234625 30.434625 - That's right, listeners.
30.434625 33.194625 We've got another Sarah in the studio.
33.194625 34.274625 - Ooh, ooh, ooh.
34.274625 38.034625 - And you may recognize her voice or her name.
38.034625 40.274625 This is Sarah Boninu, our friend
40.274625 43.194625 who came on last season and spoke to us.
43.194625 44.874625 - She's our first return guest.
44.874625 46.574625 This is a big milestone.
46.574625 47.774625 - I'm so excited.
47.774625 49.374625 - It's a huge milestone.
49.374625 50.894625 - We are very glad to have you here.
50.894625 53.254625 - Thank you, I'm super glad to be here.
53.254625 58.254625 - All right, ladies, today, we are gathered here.
58.254625 61.514625 Okay, now, we are going.
61.514625 62.974625 - It's like somebody getting married.
62.974625 63.814625 It's happening right now.
63.814625 64.654625 - All right, cool.
64.654625 65.494625 - Do you really love it?
65.494625 66.654625 Yeah, yeah.
66.654625 70.734625 So ladies, today, I want to talk about something
70.734625 75.494625 that I am currently struggling with
75.494625 79.134625 that I struggle with every day, probably,
79.134625 81.774625 and I have struggled with my whole life.
81.774625 83.494625 That is contentment.
83.494625 87.414625 - You're the only one.
87.414625 89.094625 Nobody else struggles with that, Sarah.
89.094625 90.654625 - Wait a minute, this is for you today, Sarah.
90.654625 93.134625 - Can I just say that they were nodding their heads
93.134625 94.134625 when I said that?
94.134625 98.054625 - Yeah, we definitely all wrestle with this
98.054625 100.174625 and probably will continue to.
100.174625 104.054625 Until we leave this lovely earth.
104.894625 108.454625 - Hmm, and it goes back to the God-shaped hole
108.454625 111.334625 and what we're filling it with.
111.334625 115.814625 But we thought a little bit more about some of our building
115.814625 117.854625 blocks of discipleship that we've been discussing
117.854625 119.414625 in the last episode.
119.414625 123.214625 And in particular, this idea of passionate patience
123.214625 124.854625 and how that goes hand in glove
124.854625 126.534625 with the idea of contentment.
126.534625 130.654625 Let's start where we always start, Marybeth.
130.654625 133.974625 Let's get some good old-fashioned definitions.
133.974625 134.974625 - Sounds great.
134.974625 138.974625 We actually heard a sermon on this just yesterday at church,
138.974625 142.134625 which also started off with the definitions,
142.134625 144.294625 which made me very happy.
144.294625 145.654625 - Yes.
145.654625 147.454625 All right, do you have those definitions?
147.454625 148.054625 - I do.
148.054625 151.134625 Let me turn to my trustee random house dictionary
151.134625 156.134625 that would have antique play fun if it were a car contentment.
156.134625 159.654625 Shockingly, it says the state of being contented.
159.654625 161.774625 So I'm going to move backwards
161.774625 162.734625 and look up the word content.
162.734625 164.494625 - We don't like circular definitions.
164.494625 165.814625 - No, not at all.
165.814625 170.494625 - Satisfied with what one has.
170.494625 176.854625 Or is not wanting more or anything else?
176.854625 180.734625 - Willing or resigned.
180.734625 181.894625 I don't like that one.
181.894625 184.334625 - Why not?
184.334625 191.134625 - Oh, that's a great question.
192.214625 195.174625 Probably that's my flesh pushing back.
195.174625 199.974625 I don't want to be resigned to anything.
199.974625 201.654625 Isn't there always a way to fight,
201.654625 204.414625 to push, to work harder, to get something better?
204.414625 208.734625 - Also the word willing in there.
208.734625 212.454625 Sometimes I don't want to.
212.454625 214.454625 That's why I'm not content.
214.454625 217.254625 - Oh, wow, right out of the gate,
217.254625 221.174625 the definition is just bringing up all sorts of stuff.
221.174625 224.454625 I hate that, not at all.
224.454625 228.774625 - Did you have a second definition?
228.774625 230.014625 You had two books over there.
230.014625 235.334625 - I'm going to share some synonyms for contentment.
235.334625 240.094625 Complacency, don't like that one.
240.094625 245.094625 Content, contentedness, ease, equanimity,
245.094625 248.734625 fulfillment, gladness, gratification,
248.734625 253.094625 peace, pleasure, repression, satisfaction, serenity.
253.094625 257.254625 - I would not have included some of those
257.254625 261.094625 if we're up to me to list some synonyms for contentment,
261.094625 262.774625 especially ease.
262.774625 266.534625 I don't think contentment often comes easily,
266.534625 269.094625 so I don't think of it as ease.
269.094625 270.094625 I don't know about y'all.
270.094625 275.494625 - Gladness, that was one that stuck out to me
275.494625 278.454625 of like, yeah, when you're content, you should be glad.
278.454625 280.454625 But most of the time, I'm not.
280.454625 283.014625 So then my question comes, then am I not content?
283.014625 286.094625 - I think that it would be worthwhile for us
286.094625 290.054625 to define contentment from a biblical perspective.
290.054625 293.734625 Carole's definition was spot on,
293.734625 295.534625 and I don't have my notes with me,
295.534625 297.094625 slash I also didn't take notes.
297.094625 302.014625 But it was from the podcast she was talking about.
302.014625 306.214625 - Oh, is that the one from the deep dish podcast?
306.214625 307.494625 - Yes.
307.494625 310.734625 I think it was who God is is enough
310.734625 312.574625 and what he has given me is enough.
312.574625 316.374625 - Yeah, that's, but I think the most profound,
316.374625 319.454625 easiest way to understand what contentment is,
319.454625 321.374625 because it ultimately only comes from God
321.374625 323.214625 and what he can give and will give.
323.214625 329.294625 - This also brings up the concept in my mind of sufficiency,
329.294625 332.574625 and I've often thought of sufficiency as a word
332.574625 336.694625 that's like, okay, it's sufficient, it's enough, great.
336.694625 341.694625 But what it means is that God provides what we need,
341.694625 345.654625 and he knows what we need.
345.654625 348.854625 So our point of view on whether it's enough or not
348.854625 352.734625 doesn't really count, 'cause it's God providing it.
352.734625 355.574625 - And I think also the term enough sometimes
355.574625 358.614625 is like the bottom of the barrel, it's enough.
358.614625 361.494625 It's all we need, but I like to look at contentment
361.494625 364.534625 of God giving us more than enough,
364.534625 369.094625 because I constantly find myself thinking,
369.094625 371.214625 God, this is what I want, you know my heart's desires,
371.214625 372.494625 you know my hopes, you know my dreams,
372.494625 375.214625 and you've fulfilled none of them.
375.214625 377.814625 And yet, then I catch myself saying,
377.814625 380.214625 but here's the things you have done, and I list,
380.214625 381.934625 and I list, and I list, and it keeps going on and on,
381.934625 384.054625 and then I realize, no, what you've done for me
384.054625 386.974625 is not only enough, you've given me more than enough.
386.974625 389.254625 So I can and should be content with that.
389.254625 392.614625 And I always know, but when I catch myself saying,
392.614625 395.934625 you've given me more than enough, that's all I need.
395.934625 399.574625 - And yesterday in Jordan's sermon on this topic,
399.574625 401.894625 he mentioned the Rolling Stones song,
401.894625 404.814625 I can't get no satisfaction, and I was chuckling.
404.814625 408.094625 I was reminded of the Stones' song,
408.094625 409.534625 you can't always get what you want,
409.534625 411.974625 but if you try sometimes, you just might find
411.974625 413.694625 that you get what you need.
413.694625 416.574625 - Hey, who knew Rolling Stones?
416.574625 417.894625 - All wisdom is God's wisdom.
417.894625 418.734625 - That's right.
418.734625 419.574625 - I stand by that.
419.574625 422.494625 And our God shall supply all our needs,
422.494625 424.534625 according to his riches in glory.
424.534625 425.894625 - Yeah, he does that.
425.894625 429.414625 He's funny like that, because anytime I say,
429.414625 431.734625 God, this is what I want, this is what I want.
431.734625 435.534625 If he's not responding in the way that I want him to,
435.534625 438.014625 I'm still catching myself saying, all right, God,
438.014625 441.054625 then you know what I need in this moment.
441.054625 443.774625 And it may not be what I want or desire,
443.774625 447.214625 but you're giving me more than enough and more than I need.
447.214625 452.214625 - Well, and it goes to the point of, what are we defining as,
452.214625 454.614625 not just defining contentment,
454.614625 458.614625 but what are we defining as that standard of enough,
458.614625 462.414625 enough what, or enough who, or enough when?
462.414625 467.294625 - Well, I've always looked at, you know, other people
467.294625 469.014625 and thought, man, they're just not content.
469.014625 470.734625 They're always looking for what's next.
470.734625 472.454625 They're not in a relationship they want that.
472.454625 474.174625 If they're in a relationship, they want to be married.
474.174625 475.374625 If they want to be married, they want to have kids,
475.374625 476.214625 et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
476.214625 478.334625 It's always what they want next.
478.334625 480.094625 And I always thought I was content.
480.094625 481.334625 And then I realized, I don't know,
481.334625 485.694625 I've started to become that person of, God, I don't have.
485.694625 486.614625 God, I don't have.
486.614625 489.014625 Why?
489.014625 489.854625 Right?
489.854625 492.014625 Because I think also, I don't know if we want to discuss this,
492.014625 495.774625 but we're not patient in the waiting,
495.774625 498.534625 but also we start to compare ourselves
498.534625 499.934625 with what other people have.
499.934625 504.814625 - Yeah, we discussed on the podcast last time, again,
504.814625 506.454625 these building blocks of discipleship
506.454625 509.214625 and this idea of passionate patience.
509.214625 512.614625 And that is something that we could certainly
512.614625 515.134625 spend a lot of time discussing.
515.134625 517.894625 I am not passionate about my patience.
517.894625 520.134625 I am begrudging.
520.134625 525.134625 I don't embrace it as a way to become more like Christ.
525.134625 529.374625 I look at it as something totally onerous.
529.374625 531.174625 I don't want to have to wait.
531.174625 533.854625 If I have an idea, or if I think things should be
533.854625 535.854625 a certain way, I want it done now.
535.854625 538.494625 - I am that way.
538.494625 540.334625 So I'm the person.
540.334625 544.414625 My personality is always, now what?
544.414625 545.254625 What's next?
545.254625 548.534625 We finished something that's, move on to the next thing quickly.
548.534625 550.214625 I'm pretty impulsive in that way.
550.214625 554.214625 And I was praying yesterday actually coming home
554.214625 555.534625 from youth group and I was like,
555.534625 559.454625 God, I know you have the perfect timing and everything,
559.454625 562.414625 but you messed up this time.
562.414625 566.214625 Like God, your timing is wrong.
566.214625 569.054625 You God have run out of time.
569.054625 571.854625 Like whatever it is, I'm done.
571.854625 576.494625 And the thing is I always joke that I will never pray
576.494625 579.374625 for patience because when you pray for patience,
579.374625 580.974625 God will give you opportunities to be.
580.974625 582.254625 He won't just give it to you.
582.254625 585.254625 And I feel like in this season that's all that he's required
585.254625 587.214625 of me is to be patient, is to trust,
587.214625 589.814625 is to be content and to wait.
589.814625 591.694625 And I am really struggling with that.
592.694625 595.494625 Let's spend some time discussing
595.494625 597.334625 what contentment is not.
597.334625 602.454625 I don't think contentment should be equated with happiness
602.454625 605.854625 because happiness is fleeting.
605.854625 610.654625 And it's not something that we're necessarily guaranteed.
610.654625 613.254625 But I believe that probably a lot of our listeners
613.254625 617.694625 are familiar with the difference between joy and happiness.
617.694625 622.894625 But Sarah, Pastor Sarah, can you give us a brief description
622.894625 624.614625 of the difference between joy and happiness?
624.614625 625.454625 Sure.
625.454625 627.734625 So happiness is temporary.
627.734625 630.534625 It's just based on maybe the things that we have,
630.534625 635.014625 the people who are in our lives and it can go as quickly
635.014625 636.974625 as the light can turn on and off.
636.974625 640.414625 Joy comes from God.
640.414625 643.414625 I mean, we see in scriptures the joy of the Lord,
643.414625 646.734625 not my joy, the joy of the Lord is my strength.
646.734625 650.734625 And so that's an unwavering peace within our souls
650.734625 652.934625 at the core of who we are.
652.934625 655.814625 That joy is going to come when circumstances are good.
655.814625 658.414625 It's going to stay when circumstances are hard.
658.414625 661.134625 And it's only through Jesus Christ, can we have that?
661.134625 666.254625 I feel like it's not just what we have, a thing we have,
666.254625 670.054625 but who we are to our core as people, as Christians.
670.054625 674.454625 Would you say that that would be part of unshakeable faith?
674.454625 675.734625 I think so.
675.734625 679.374625 The biggest thing people continually tell me
679.374625 683.454625 throughout my journey with my chronic pain and grief
683.454625 685.574625 and everything else I've been through recently
685.574625 689.454625 is that people say, Sarah, you just have so much joy.
689.454625 691.974625 And I appreciate that, but I think that's part
691.974625 695.454625 of the unshakeable faith of, I'm not doing this on my own.
695.454625 699.094625 This is not an everyday 24/7, I'm happy all the time.
699.094625 702.134625 It's the joy because that's at the core of who I am
702.134625 704.414625 of being a Christian, but it's not easy.
704.414625 706.534625 I don't think if we have joy every single day,
706.534625 710.534625 we're always content or patient or kind or happy.
710.534625 711.974625 That's a good point.
711.974625 715.734625 To have joy doesn't necessarily mean that you feel happy.
715.734625 717.534625 No, and there have been days--
717.534625 720.254625 I mean, I was in a car wreck back in January,
720.254625 723.294625 and I didn't come to work for four days
723.294625 726.334625 because I said, I can't be the happy one.
726.334625 730.214625 I can't be the joyful Sarah right now in front of people.
730.214625 733.214625 Didn't mean I wasn't joyful or had the joy within me.
733.214625 738.014625 I just couldn't portray it at that point, and that was OK.
738.014625 740.054625 Yeah, I think you're a lot to take time off from work
740.054625 741.654625 when you've been in a car accident.
741.654625 744.334625 Well, yes, but also taking time from being
744.334625 748.294625 the person who's always reliable or always the person
748.294625 749.614625 who's going to light up the room.
749.614625 750.494625 I'm not saying I do that.
750.494625 752.534625 I'm just saying I couldn't do that.
752.534625 753.614625 Well, hold on for a second.
753.614625 754.934625 You do light up a room.
754.934625 755.974625 Thank you.
755.974625 759.854625 And this is also part of a larger discussion
759.854625 763.414625 that I think women sometimes find ourselves
763.414625 769.654625 in of we need to be the fill in the blank.
769.654625 772.974625 And I think--
772.974625 776.214625 and correct me if I'm wrong-- all you male listeners
776.214625 777.534625 feel free to write in.
777.534625 780.894625 Listen at trustworthypodcast.com and correct me.
780.894625 785.814625 But women have a way of just going along to get along
785.814625 790.174625 with whatever is going on, regardless of how they feel,
790.174625 794.094625 regardless of what level of pain may be in physically,
794.094625 798.094625 mentally, whatever, and just have a way of sort of holding
798.094625 802.734625 the pieces together to keep the situation moving along.
802.734625 804.934625 And again, I realize that it may not
804.934625 806.854625 be exactly gender specific, but I think
806.854625 810.534625 that that's a gift that God gave women.
810.534625 813.494625 I think it's a gift and a weight.
813.494625 814.694625 Yeah, I was going to say I didn't think
814.694625 816.694625 you were going to a gift with that comment.
816.694625 819.174625 I didn't start out going as a gift.
819.174625 822.694625 But I guess anything with great power comes great responsibility.
822.694625 825.414625 So we have to realize that there's a downside to this, too.
825.414625 827.614625 And that's it that we don't take care of ourselves, basically.
827.614625 828.534625 Yeah, I definitely don't.
828.534625 831.454625 My friend, one of my best friends, put on my birthday card
831.454625 836.414625 recently, Sarah, I'm so proud of you.
836.414625 839.614625 Even through the midst of pain, you just have so much joy.
839.614625 842.774625 And I first-- I read that and I was like, that is so kind.
842.774625 843.854625 I love this person.
843.854625 846.334625 And then I was like, I don't want to be.
846.334625 849.854625 I don't want to be the one who has all the strength right now.
849.854625 851.134625 But you're right, I think.
851.134625 853.334625 It's a gift, but also that weight.
853.334625 855.494625 Well, and that speaks to what we're talking about about what
855.494625 857.614625 contentment is not.
857.614625 863.814625 It's not looking at the external expectations in the world
863.814625 870.054625 around us, or comparison, as Sarah mentioned a few minutes ago.
870.054625 875.054625 Comparison is a thief of joy, and so if we are holding
875.054625 880.654625 our standard to other humans for our contentment,
880.654625 883.174625 it's going to be a never-ending treadmill hamster
883.174625 886.974625 wheel, whatever mental picture you want to put in there.
886.974625 888.494625 Because it'll never be enough.
888.494625 890.014625 We'll never be satisfied.
890.014625 892.534625 Well, and the problem is is that we don't compare ourselves
892.534625 894.694625 to just one other person, because if we did,
894.694625 897.094625 that would be easier, because they have shortcomings
897.094625 898.214625 and things they're not good at.
898.214625 902.374625 And we could go, oh, OK, I guess, like I'm not perfect.
902.374625 905.294625 But we cherry pick the best attributes
905.294625 906.774625 of all these people around us.
906.774625 908.014625 And then somehow think that we're
908.014625 912.094625 supposed to measure up against this fictional pantheon
912.094625 915.574625 of womanhood or whatever we're trying to make ourselves
915.574625 916.454625 into.
916.454625 918.254625 Do you know what I'm saying?
918.254625 921.534625 Nobody can be the best of 20 people.
921.534625 925.094625 Well, and as we're talking about enough,
925.094625 927.734625 contentment is not always being satisfied
927.734625 929.734625 with the things that we have.
929.734625 934.014625 Sometimes we're discontent, because we don't feel enough,
934.014625 935.974625 because we do that comparison.
935.974625 937.694625 That's one thing that I struggle with a lot.
937.694625 942.134625 Ironically, my life motto is helping people
942.134625 943.974625 know their worth and value in Jesus Christ.
943.974625 945.614625 And that's something that I struggle with.
945.614625 948.694625 And it comes back to the root cause of are we content?
948.694625 952.494625 Am I content in who Jesus has made me to be?
952.494625 953.694625 And sometimes the answer is no,
953.694625 955.614625 because it comes to that comparison.
955.614625 956.334625 Am I enough?
956.334625 959.494625 Am I, you know, on par with this person?
959.494625 961.974625 Oh, if I'm not, then I'm not wanted or valued or loved.
961.974625 963.814625 And it's just a never ending cycle.
963.814625 965.974625 Like you said, Mary Beth.
965.974625 968.974625 The sermons that we heard yesterday
968.974625 972.254625 were based on a passage of Philippians four.
972.254625 973.894625 And we had talked a little bit about this
973.894625 978.134625 before we started recording that part of that can be really
978.134625 979.254625 misconstrued.
979.254625 983.334625 And so maybe we can talk about what contentment is not
983.334625 985.414625 based on Philippians four and how people
985.414625 987.374625 might take that out of context.
987.374625 988.974625 Oh, yeah.
988.974625 992.294625 Which one of us would like to quote perhaps the world's
992.294625 996.574625 most misquoted out of context Bible verse?
996.574625 1001.414625 We're speaking of Philippians four, 13, which I learned
1001.414625 1004.534625 as a child from the New King James.
1004.534625 1008.894625 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1008.894625 1011.134625 Did y'all learn slightly different versions?
1011.134625 1011.854625 
1011.854625 1013.254625 I think it was that.
1013.254625 1015.854625 I think it was the King James for me as well.
1015.854625 1021.254625 Mine was I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
1021.254625 1023.214625 Same concept though.
1023.214625 1028.214625 And taken out of context, it means we can do anything.
1028.214625 1031.054625 We can just go out there and get it done.
1031.054625 1033.414625 And God's going to be there.
1033.414625 1036.814625 Give us strength because that's the worldly definition.
1036.814625 1037.654625 You can do anything.
1037.654625 1039.054625 You can do anything you can set your mind to.
1039.054625 1040.214625 That's right.
1040.214625 1041.494625 Just do it.
1041.494625 1042.334625 Just dream big.
1042.334625 1043.974625 And you can achieve it.
1043.974625 1045.014625 Believe in yourself.
1045.014625 1046.374625 Yeah.
1046.374625 1050.254625 So how is that Sarah Boninu?
1050.254625 1058.214625 How is that not an accurate biblical view of Continent?
1058.214625 1061.374625 Because I think if we're constantly told you can do anything
1061.374625 1066.094625 and then we fail once, then we think, oh my gosh, I'm not
1066.094625 1066.974625 enough.
1066.974625 1068.294625 What I have is not enough.
1068.294625 1071.254625 Everything I'm striving for is never going to happen.
1071.254625 1077.374625 So I was really interested to learn yesterday in the sermon
1077.374625 1082.854625 that this particular verse really has to do with the contentment
1082.854625 1086.494625 that Paul is talking about in the verses prior to verse 13.
1086.494625 1088.174625 Mary Beth, can you read those first?
1088.174625 1089.174625 Yes.
1089.174625 1093.294625 So starting in verse 11, Paul writes, not that I am speaking of being in need
1093.294625 1097.294625 for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
1097.294625 1100.534625 I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound.
1100.534625 1104.214625 In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing
1104.214625 1108.094625 plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
1108.094625 1113.254625 Then he says, I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
1113.254625 1118.334625 And the reason this kind of hit me a little different this time, which is why I love that
1118.334625 1123.414625 the word of God is living in act of just can mean something new in different
1123.414625 1124.414625 times of our lives.
1124.414625 1132.574625 Anyway, the reason that it really struck me yesterday is that what he's saying is the secret
1132.574625 1137.094625 to this contentment is the strength of Christ.
1137.094625 1144.974625 It's not that I can go out and do things because I have Christ strength.
1144.974625 1151.254625 It's that in whatever situation I find myself, I can endure it through the strength of
1151.254625 1152.254625 Christ.
1152.254625 1155.574625 And that means something, I mean, that's a completely different meaning.
1155.574625 1156.574625 Right.
1156.574625 1157.574625 And it's not easy.
1157.574625 1162.694625 But what I love about Paul is he's so wise, but he doesn't sugarcoat things either.
1162.694625 1166.494625 He has said nowhere in those verses, this is going to be easy.
1166.494625 1167.494625 No, it doesn't.
1167.494625 1168.494625 You can do it.
1168.494625 1170.494625 Well, give it your best.
1170.494625 1172.134625 If you believe it, you can achieve it.
1172.134625 1173.134625 Right.
1173.134625 1174.134625 It's hard.
1174.134625 1178.654625 But he's been through so much, I mean, look at everything just in acts that he went
1178.654625 1179.654625 through.
1179.654625 1186.494625 And for him to still say, I'm content, says, okay, Paul, if you can endure anything and
1186.494625 1191.774625 still have the joy and the peace and the contentment from Christ, I think we can do.
1191.774625 1199.534625 Well, and it's reminding me that it's not this superhero kind of strength where it's
1199.534625 1204.534625 okay, I'm going to tap into my superpowers now and do this amazing thing I want to do.
1204.534625 1210.974625 It's you need Christ's strength when you are in abundance, when you are in plenty, you
1210.974625 1216.774625 rely on it just as much as you do when you're low and when you're struggling, and that it
1216.774625 1220.014625 should be the undercurrent of all of that.
1220.014625 1224.974625 It's not, oh, I'm just going to go grab some Jesus strength to do this big thing I want
1224.974625 1225.974625 to do in my life.
1225.974625 1232.854625 It's no- all things every day, the mundane, the big, the small, the good, the bad, all
1232.854625 1238.234625 of it, the undercurrent is Christ's strength in us.
1238.234625 1243.654625 And that's kind of the reframing that I think was helpful for me when I was listening to
1243.654625 1249.734625 this teaching yesterday is that it doesn't mean, as Carole was saying in the sermon, it doesn't
1249.734625 1254.734625 mean we're just sitting back and doing nothing and saying, okay, I'm just going to be content
1254.734625 1257.654625 and just sit here peacefully.
1257.654625 1261.374625 No, we're still living our life, we're still running the race before us, we're still
1261.374625 1271.934625 doing things, but we're not doing it in this, from this perspective of, I can just go do
1271.934625 1274.934625 whatever I want to do because the Bible says I can't.
1274.934625 1279.614625 And I also had the pleasure of hearing Jordan speak on this yesterday and he had this really
1279.614625 1282.614625 great graphic that he had put up.
1282.614625 1288.754625 And it was very simply, Philippians 413 is not self-reliance, it's not I can do anything
1288.754625 1294.454625 because of Christ's strength, but it's Christ's dependence in anything I can endure because
1294.454625 1295.454625 of Jesus.
1295.454625 1299.194625 So I love that idea between self-reliance and Christ's dependence.
1299.194625 1302.514625 And Sarah, isn't that just what you were saying earlier?
1302.514625 1308.994625 Your anger is you're relying on your understanding of how things should be and believe me when
1308.994625 1312.714625 I'm like pointing you out, I'm hearing it myself as well.
1312.714625 1320.494625 I'm always busy thinking about the best possible scenario of how the situation can go or, you
1320.494625 1328.714625 know, how our podcast could be or whatever and rarely, rarely do the best possible scenarios
1328.714625 1330.274625 work out.
1330.274625 1339.254625 And sometimes I find myself angry and grieving and we just had a situation recently with
1339.254625 1346.334625 a beloved friend who passed away and it was just a sudden and sad circumstance.
1346.334625 1350.474625 His wife had preceded him by less than a year and they were both way too young.
1350.474625 1354.234625 It was just, it was just not okay, right?
1354.234625 1362.034625 But the family is strong in the Lord and there's so much hope in that.
1362.034625 1375.014625 And my thought at one point was God, if these situations, if this is what it takes for the
1375.014625 1385.714625 family, for a cousin, for a child, for whoever to come to a saving, sure, solid rock faith that
1385.714625 1393.074625 there is eternal life, that this beloved couple is already there in Jesus presence.
1393.074625 1401.034625 If this is the kind of stuff that has to happen, if this is what it takes, then it's a lot
1401.034625 1406.474625 easier to be content when things happen because you know, you know what the end of the story
1406.474625 1407.954625 is, you know the end game.
1407.954625 1414.154625 And that's like, I mean, even saying that out loud seems, I don't know, it's just so
1414.154625 1415.154625 hard to talk about.
1415.154625 1420.074625 And I certainly had enough circumstances in my own life that I've lived through.
1420.074625 1429.554625 And I think we can all agree that God, if this is what it took to bring me to you, if
1429.554625 1439.874625 this is what I have to go through to have that assurance, then maybe that first definition
1439.874625 1445.074625 I read something about an idea of resignation being resigned to something, I mean, and not
1445.074625 1446.834625 my will, right?
1446.834625 1448.314625 Like not my will, but his will.
1448.314625 1449.314625 Hmm.
1449.314625 1450.314625 I don't know.
1450.314625 1451.314625 I just need a moment.
1451.314625 1459.034625 No, I agree with you on that and it's hard when you're in it because through all of the
1459.034625 1464.154625 stuff I've been through the last two years, it's just been tragedy after tragedy.
1464.154625 1468.994625 Like not just like a little hard thing, like tragedy.
1468.994625 1474.274625 And someone recently, my mentor said, Sarah, what is one thing that you can take away good
1474.274625 1476.674625 from from this season?
1476.674625 1479.354625 My first thought was, um, nothing.
1479.354625 1483.114625 And then I thought for a second and I was like, no, no, no, no, no, I have, I have drawn
1483.114625 1485.794625 so much closer to the Lord because I've had no choice.
1485.794625 1488.674625 Like I need to cling to him.
1488.674625 1493.514625 And I have not heard him more clearly in this last season of my life than I ever have
1493.514625 1496.154625 in my entire life.
1496.154625 1504.154625 And for me, that's where I say, okay, God, I can be content in that because if I've gained
1504.154625 1510.474625 just the notion of knowing your voice, knowing my father's voice, I'll take it.
1510.474625 1516.234625 But then you've got the enemy coming in who says, well, if God has spoken so clearly to
1516.234625 1519.874625 you, are you sure other bad things aren't going to happen?
1519.874625 1523.794625 Like are you sure you deserve good things or are you sure you even heard him correctly?
1523.794625 1526.714625 Because God's not bringing a fruition to anything that He's told you.
1526.714625 1531.714625 And so then that lie of discontentment continues to unravel.
1531.714625 1535.194625 And I think that's when we have to stop ourselves and say what you've just been saying of like,
1535.194625 1540.914625 God, if this is what it takes just for me to be closer to you, then I can be content.
1540.914625 1541.914625 I'm not there.
1541.914625 1542.914625 I'm not going to lie to you.
1542.914625 1543.914625 But I want to be.
1543.914625 1544.914625 Yeah.
1544.914625 1545.914625 I got nothing.
1545.914625 1546.914625 I mean, I'm not there either.
1546.914625 1554.634625 Right, and that's why we got to stick to what Paul's saying in his word.
1554.634625 1559.474625 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
1559.474625 1567.994625 Well then, how do we live contentedly the right way?
1567.994625 1572.594625 How do we at least work on that?
1572.594625 1579.994625 We've all admitted here that none of us are perfectly doing it, but we are being sanctified,
1579.994625 1581.594625 being renewed.
1581.594625 1583.114625 Our minds are being renewed.
1583.114625 1585.314625 We can trust that.
1585.314625 1591.474625 So, you know, some of Paul's other writings 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, he says, "Rejoice
1591.474625 1596.834625 always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for
1596.834625 1598.474625 you in Christ Jesus."
1598.474625 1605.794625 I mean, would you all say that's part of the doing, part of the practicing of our faith
1605.794625 1610.594625 is rejoicing and praying continually, or what has, what it looked like for you all, how
1610.594625 1612.314625 to be content.
1612.314625 1623.674625 We've given this some thought recently, specifically in the area of comparing ourselves to other
1623.674625 1624.674625 people.
1624.674625 1632.634625 I have a friend who has an amazing gift that doesn't always want to talk about it or share
1632.634625 1633.874625 it.
1633.874625 1642.034625 And I was thinking about the fact that this is a gift that God has given her.
1642.034625 1652.954625 And we are to steward what we have, whether it be a spiritual gift, whether it be possessions,
1652.954625 1663.474625 whether that stewardship is gratitude, and instead of comparing, "Oh, I'm not as good
1663.474625 1667.354625 of a bike rider as this other person over here."
1667.354625 1671.834625 What I need to be doing is saying, "Okay, Sarah, you ride a bike.
1671.834625 1672.834625 You enjoy it.
1672.834625 1674.674625 You have fun with it.
1674.674625 1676.354625 You actually do it.
1676.354625 1679.914625 How can you use that to honor God?
1679.914625 1687.314625 How can you use that to bring people into a community, to welcome people into the gospel,
1687.314625 1690.634625 to let your light shine?"
1690.634625 1694.234625 And when I'm focused on that, I'm a lot more content.
1694.234625 1696.314625 Yeah, me too.
1696.314625 1704.354625 So I have so many goals that I want to achieve this year and by achieve, I mean learn.
1704.354625 1712.954625 So I want to learn Spanish, I want to learn guitar, drums, soccer, all of these things because
1712.954625 1718.074625 I have thought for so much of my life that there's something missing and my thought is, "Okay,
1718.074625 1719.794625 now's the time to learn."
1719.794625 1725.194625 I've realized that I may not be as good as someone else at this particular thing or I'm
1725.194625 1726.994625 not picking up on that just yet.
1726.994625 1730.714625 So I'm not smart enough or I'm not good enough just yet.
1730.714625 1731.874625 And then we go back to these verses.
1731.874625 1737.394625 Well, I'm going to rejoice because God has given me the ability to and the desire to learn,
1737.394625 1738.714625 to have fun.
1738.714625 1742.594625 I may not be doing it at a pace I wish that I could, but I'm going to do it.
1742.594625 1743.594625 Right?
1743.594625 1744.594625 Going back to what you're saying.
1744.594625 1745.594625 I'm just going to do it.
1745.594625 1746.594625 I'm going to be thankful.
1746.594625 1749.914625 I'm thankful for all that God has done in my heart and in my life.
1749.914625 1754.434625 And I think that comes when you have that prayer that never ceases.
1754.434625 1759.034625 I'm just the constant communication with Jesus of, you know, God, I'm going to rejoice
1759.034625 1760.034625 in you.
1760.034625 1761.194625 I'm going to thank you for this.
1761.194625 1765.634625 And then whatever you're leading me toward coming next, I, I want to use that like you're
1765.634625 1768.154625 saying to, to bring you glory.
1768.154625 1773.954625 And I think that, that all of those things intertwine with what we do say and think, bring
1773.954625 1777.114625 the true contentment within our heart.
1777.114625 1784.554625 And I would imagine that those goals that you have are in your heart because they're
1784.554625 1787.194625 going to be ways for you to connect with the youth.
1787.194625 1792.514625 They're going to be ways that you can show young people to never stop learning, to always
1792.514625 1796.554625 try new things, to put yourself out there, to not be afraid to fail.
1796.554625 1797.554625 Right.
1797.554625 1803.554625 And that, focusing on that goal of the reason the why behind it, I think that's also part
1803.554625 1804.874625 of contentment.
1804.874625 1805.874625 Mm-hmm.
1805.874625 1814.234625 So reminding me of one of my dad's favorite phrases, which is attitude of gratitude and practicing
1814.234625 1820.954625 that in whatever we're going through, I mean, it's you're physically able to go play soccer.
1820.954625 1821.954625 Right.
1821.954625 1822.954625 That's a big deal.
1822.954625 1823.954625 And you're alive right now.
1823.954625 1824.954625 Mm-hmm.
1824.954625 1825.954625 Yeah.
1825.954625 1826.954625 Six months ago, eight months ago, yeah.
1826.954625 1827.954625 Yeah.
1827.954625 1829.594625 Our family tried something brand new the other night.
1829.594625 1834.914625 I live in a house of all boys and it gets really competitive up in there.
1834.914625 1836.594625 And so we tried something new at supper the other night.
1836.594625 1841.594625 We all went around the table and said something that everyone else at the table was better at
1841.594625 1843.074625 than we are.
1843.074625 1847.394625 And so we would say, you're better at this than me and I'm okay with that.
1847.394625 1850.994625 And we just went around the table and practiced it for some humility.
1850.994625 1857.394625 And really what it led to was when we get the focus off of ourselves and when we start recognizing
1857.394625 1863.914625 good and other people and building other people up, we don't care as much about those things
1863.914625 1868.314625 that we're trying to be better at or, you know, be the best at our, we don't look down
1868.314625 1874.674625 on ourselves as much because we're building others up and we're building community together.
1874.674625 1881.074625 I thought it was interesting that right after, in Philippians 4, right after verse 13, Paul
1881.074625 1886.714625 says to the Philippians, "Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble and you, Philippians,
1886.714625 1892.554625 I'm skipping down, entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving."
1892.554625 1900.154625 And so I think that that's the other component of it is we're not doing this in isolation
1900.154625 1902.714625 as individuals.
1902.714625 1905.394625 Paul is teaching this to a group of people to do it together.
1905.394625 1906.394625 They are helping him.
1906.394625 1907.394625 He is helping them.
1907.394625 1914.234625 I think that's the other part of it is we don't have to sit in a room by ourselves and try
1914.234625 1916.634625 to figure out contentment.
1916.634625 1920.234625 There's a social relational dynamic to it as well.
1920.234625 1927.194625 Absolutely, it's contentment and community, which we keep coming back to the season.
1927.194625 1931.234625 It was the focus of the season and then somehow every conversation we have ends up coming
1931.234625 1932.234625 back to it.
1932.234625 1934.194625 It must be some truth there.
1934.194625 1935.194625 I agree with that.
1935.194625 1940.914625 I love what y'all are saying because when we start to complement others for what they
1940.914625 1945.994625 have, it doesn't take away from what we don't have, but what it does take away is the
1945.994625 1953.234625 enemy's power anytime that we can rejoice or pray or give thanks or live in that community
1953.234625 1954.234625 or be patient.
1954.234625 1960.994625 Anything with one another, the enemy is like, shoot, how else can I attack?
1960.994625 1963.994625 It's like you can't because at the core of that is the contentment.
1963.994625 1964.994625 Yeah.
1964.994625 1971.154625 We've said this before that God is triune and the father, son, and Holy Spirit will speak
1971.154625 1975.114625 together and tell each other who they are as we do here.
1975.114625 1978.554625 I mean, we're made in God's image and here we are.
1978.554625 1981.454625 I'm feeling really good.
1981.454625 1991.354625 I feel good when I talk to Mary Beth when I talk to you because we are engaged in, oh, sometimes
1991.354625 1996.674625 we're engaged in silliness and that's okay too, but we're engaged in these topics that are
1996.674625 1997.674625 important.
1997.674625 2003.434625 They're part of our life, they're part of who we are and we are excited and we're exchanging
2003.434625 2010.994625 ideas and it just continually encourages me and builds, we build each other up.
2010.994625 2017.154625 It's hard to be sad and discontent when you're digging into God's word and really trying
2017.154625 2020.314625 to understand with your friends.
2020.314625 2024.994625 And I think that would be an encouragement done just to us, but to the people who are listening
2024.994625 2029.274625 to say, if you're feeling discontent right now, are you isolating?
2029.274625 2030.274625 Are you by yourself?
2030.274625 2032.834625 What are the things that you're hoping for and praying for?
2032.834625 2037.634625 Speak to a friend about it, ask for prayer on that, because God doesn't want us to do this
2037.634625 2038.634625 on our own.
2038.634625 2043.474625 That's how we stay in this habit and this cycle of just despair.
2043.474625 2044.474625 Mm-hmm.
2044.474625 2045.474625 Great point.
2045.474625 2052.074625 And I think also too, the enemy really wants us to be in our heads and not say the things.
2052.074625 2057.294625 And when we bring things from the dark into the light, if they're negative things, they
2057.294625 2059.114625 suddenly lose their power.
2059.114625 2062.594625 And if they're positive things, we can get the encouragement we need to continue in that
2062.594625 2063.594625 vein.
2063.594625 2064.594625 Mm-hmm.
2064.594625 2065.594625 Mm-hmm.
2065.594625 2066.594625 There's a song.
2066.594625 2068.354625 My best friend just sent to me called Seasons.
2068.354625 2070.114625 I think it's my whole song.
2070.114625 2076.554625 And one of the best lines says, God, if you're not done working, then I'm not done waiting.
2076.554625 2080.514625 And that's a line that she and I continue to say to each other all the time when we're
2080.514625 2081.714625 feeling discontent.
2081.714625 2085.754625 You know, every single day, there's a time where there's a specific phrase I say to
2085.754625 2089.394625 her and she knows, all right, I got to fill Sarah up with some curto right now.
2089.394625 2094.634625 And most of the time it's, if you're not, if God's not done working, we're not done waiting.
2094.634625 2095.634625 Mm-hmm.
2095.634625 2096.954625 So it's that component.
2096.954625 2098.354625 It's all of these things put together.
2098.354625 2099.354625 It's the community.
2099.354625 2100.354625 It's the patient.
2100.354625 2101.354625 It's everything.
2101.354625 2106.474625 You might as well, though, Bible school song, he's still working on me to make me who I
2106.474625 2107.474625 ought to be.
2107.474625 2110.274625 It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars.
2110.274625 2112.074625 Sky in the earth and Jupiter Mars.
2112.074625 2115.554625 How loving and patient he must be because he's still working on me.
2115.554625 2116.554625 Mm-hmm.
2116.554625 2118.554625 That's so good.
2118.554625 2121.354625 So much theology rolled up into there.
2121.354625 2122.354625 Wow.
2122.354625 2123.994625 I've literally thought about that tangent.
2123.994625 2129.634625 This is amazing because yeah, I constantly think like, God, I took you six days to make everything.
2129.634625 2133.434625 Why are you taking your time with like all of my hopes and dreams?
2133.434625 2134.434625 Mm-hmm.
2134.434625 2136.034625 Maybe Sarah, because you're not ready.
2136.034625 2137.394625 Maybe Sarah, because we're working on you.
2137.394625 2138.394625 Sit down, girlfriend.
2138.394625 2142.034625 I feel like that's what he says to me all the time because you know he could.
2142.034625 2143.034625 That's what I'm saying.
2143.034625 2144.034625 I'm like, just do it.
2144.034625 2149.834625 And he's like, no, oh, one thing, sorry, I was just so angry one day and I was praying.
2149.834625 2153.194625 I said, God, I've asked you over and over and over.
2153.194625 2161.474625 And he said to me, right back at you, meaning like I've asked you to trust me, to be obedient
2161.474625 2162.474625 and you're not.
2162.474625 2164.474625 So why should I move if you're not going to?
2164.474625 2165.474625 Wow.
2165.474625 2166.474625 Mm-hmm.
2166.474625 2173.994625 Well, and I also want to say that I see another side in that song, which is how loving
2173.994625 2174.994625 he is.
2174.994625 2175.994625 Yes.
2175.994625 2178.794625 And he has set us, we are above creation.
2178.794625 2181.674625 We have dominion over the earth.
2181.674625 2186.914625 And of course, he would spend more time on us than he did the earth.
2186.914625 2187.914625 Mm-hmm.
2187.914625 2193.914625 Well, that why of why God are you taking so long?
2193.914625 2201.474625 We're not always going to know that answer, but part of it is, like Sarah's saying, he
2201.474625 2203.154625 wants a relationship with us.
2203.154625 2208.634625 He is not just, fix all your problems, plop you over here, have a good life.
2208.634625 2210.954625 It's the deepening of the relationship.
2210.954625 2214.314625 It's the building of the trust, it's the growing of the faith.
2214.314625 2221.754625 It's all of those things that it would be easy for him to just fix it all and go along
2221.754625 2231.914625 his merry way, but it's a bizarre gospel truth that we actually grow in the suffering,
2231.914625 2232.914625 right?
2232.914625 2242.474625 It's very not worldly, right, because it's not that he doesn't want to fix our problems,
2242.474625 2243.474625 right?
2243.474625 2252.114625 But so often we focus on God, what can you do for me instead of God, I just want you.
2252.114625 2257.114625 And until we get there, that sanctification, like you're saying, Mary Beth, he's going
2257.114625 2258.554625 to be very patient.
2258.554625 2260.394625 And he just wants us too.
2260.394625 2261.394625 Exactly.
2261.394625 2262.394625 Yes.
2262.394625 2263.394625 Yeah.
2263.394625 2271.174625 And if this, if this is what it takes, if this is what it takes to get me close to you, God,
2271.174625 2276.994625 now that's again, the yielding of our will, which I'm still working on.
2276.994625 2285.914625 So if you have any pointers on that, silence fills the room, but I have no pointers.
2285.914625 2294.234625 It reminds me as well of the verse about the peace or Christ that passes all understanding.
2294.234625 2297.554625 That's also in Philippians four, seven.
2297.554625 2298.554625 You're right.
2298.554625 2299.554625 It is Sarah.
2299.554625 2302.994625 I'm just going to go back and read, starting in Philippians four or four, rejoice in the Lord
2302.994625 2303.994625 always.
2303.994625 2308.194625 Again, I will say, rejoice, let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
2308.194625 2312.834625 The Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and
2312.834625 2316.754625 supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
2316.754625 2321.474625 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
2321.474625 2325.194625 your minds in Christ Jesus.
2325.194625 2327.314625 Quick question about that passage.
2327.314625 2329.194625 What's reasonableness?
2329.194625 2333.994625 I didn't study that in seminary, sorry.
2333.994625 2334.994625 I don't know.
2334.994625 2339.314625 There's one footnote that says that word could also be translated as gentleness.
2339.314625 2351.574625 Okay, maybe it means being full of reason, wise, gentle, not prone to outbursts of emotion.
2351.574625 2354.914625 So everything that I'm not.
2354.914625 2355.914625 And me.
2355.914625 2359.514625 I was like, so not a typical female who has hormones.
2359.514625 2360.514625 Okay.
2360.514625 2361.514625 Yeah.
2361.514625 2362.514625 Okay.
2362.514625 2363.514625 Let's move along.
2363.514625 2366.394625 Peace that passes understanding, praise God for that.
2366.394625 2367.394625 Yeah.
2367.394625 2373.594625 The verb guards peace will guard your heart and your mind.
2373.594625 2379.554625 Like God knows how rampant our minds will go.
2379.554625 2383.114625 And then how that will affect our emotions and our feelings.
2383.114625 2387.874625 But if we have that peace first, that's going to guard anything coming our way, anything
2387.874625 2389.514625 going out.
2389.514625 2392.634625 And I think that's just super valuable.
2392.634625 2396.594625 Any other word could have been used, but that one makes sense because it's like if we
2396.594625 2400.914625 have that peace, we can withstand anything.
2400.914625 2402.634625 That's true.
2402.634625 2408.634625 And brings to mind my favorite version, proverbs, guard your heart above all else for it
2408.634625 2410.794625 alone determines, of course, your life.
2410.794625 2413.274625 Well, peace would help guard my heart.
2413.274625 2414.274625 Mm hmm.
2414.274625 2415.274625 Yeah.
2415.274625 2420.354625 Because if I'm peaceful, if I'm content, I could care less about anything else or what anyone
2420.354625 2424.034625 else was doing or anything else that was happening in my life or what I had or didn't
2424.034625 2425.034625 have.
2425.034625 2426.034625 I got peace.
2426.034625 2428.074625 You'd be unflappable.
2428.074625 2429.394625 That's the word that came to mind.
2429.394625 2431.954625 Oh, that's a great word.
2431.954625 2432.954625 Unflappable.
2432.954625 2433.954625 Unflappable.
2433.954625 2435.994625 Well, I should go to the gym then.
2435.994625 2438.234625 I don't think that's what it means.
2438.234625 2439.234625 Great.
2439.234625 2440.234625 Do tell.
2440.234625 2441.754625 I don't think it means unflabbable.
2441.754625 2443.754625 It means unflappable.
2443.754625 2444.754625 Oh.
2444.754625 2449.354625 It means having or showing calmness in a crisis.
2449.354625 2450.354625 Mm.
2450.354625 2451.354625 That's good.
2451.354625 2452.354625 I don't have that.
2452.354625 2455.954625 Marked by assurance and self control.
2455.954625 2462.554625 I have a hard time with that one more now that I have a smartphone with me at all times
2462.554625 2464.714625 than I used to.
2464.714625 2470.434625 Sometimes I have to put my phone down and like physically divorce myself from the phone
2470.434625 2477.394625 for a period of time so that I do not respond and haste to a text message or a thought.
2477.394625 2487.394625 And it doesn't escape me that when we had only phones or then maybe email and not email
2487.394625 2491.914625 accessible all the time, but just like, you know, you had to go to your computer and like
2491.914625 2496.394625 push the button and listen to the dial up, modem.
2496.394625 2501.634625 There was a lot of things that didn't upset me as much as that they do now.
2501.634625 2506.634625 I feel like because we can so easily talk to each other and we can so easily just shoot
2506.634625 2514.354625 off all these pieces of information that sometimes have emotions attached or don't that then
2514.354625 2523.314625 are construed either correctly or not correctly by the people that received them, which in that
2523.314625 2527.714625 reception method is attached to my hip, I just get upset more.
2527.714625 2531.714625 I just find myself being like, well, they think that, you know, because maybe there was
2531.714625 2535.274625 something else going on and I read it at a time when I should have had no business
2535.274625 2540.514625 reading my emails because I'm literally five minutes between my meeting or something like,
2540.514625 2542.394625 why do I do that to myself?
2542.394625 2548.754625 Maybe that could be another part of contentment is bringing this digital dragon into submission.
2548.754625 2549.754625 Yes.
2549.754625 2556.514625 I will admit, I am the biggest proponent of FOMO.
2556.514625 2563.314625 I didn't realize this until about three years ago when I started at Willowdale that I want
2563.314625 2567.234625 to be involved in everything because I don't want to miss out and I don't want to be left
2567.234625 2575.554625 out to the point where I got off Instagram and Facebook in January because I was so tired
2575.554625 2579.234625 of seeing everyone else living their best life.
2579.234625 2583.754625 And I was over here like in the trenches and I said, enough's enough.
2583.754625 2589.194625 I'm not going to be discontent because I'm looking at the perfection people put out there
2589.194625 2590.194625 on social media.
2590.194625 2596.694625 I got off. I think that was a huge weight taken off of me because now if I hear of someone
2596.694625 2602.994625 doing something, I'm like, cool, I can celebrate you, not wonder, well, why wasn't I included?
2602.994625 2609.054625 You know, or how come I'm not that or how come, yeah, no, that whole thing was the big reason
2609.054625 2610.054625 I got off.
2610.054625 2614.754625 I've talked about this on the podcast before and the wake of losing my husband and just
2614.754625 2620.914625 all the crappyness that was going on in my life. I'm like, yeah, comparison really is the
2620.914625 2622.914625 thief of joy.
2622.914625 2623.914625 Yeah.
2623.914625 2624.914625 That's why we talked earlier.
2624.914625 2626.434625 We did a little video for my TikTok.
2626.434625 2627.434625 That's all I had.
2627.434625 2632.394625 I just got that also in January, getting off of Facebook and Instagram because all I care
2632.394625 2638.234625 about is just documenting the things that bring me joy this year, you know, I'll also document
2638.234625 2639.234625 like my failures.
2639.234625 2640.634625 That's a real life.
2640.634625 2645.474625 But I don't care how many followers I have, I don't care how many likes because it's not
2645.474625 2646.794625 about that for me.
2646.794625 2650.114625 At this point of my life, I'm thinking, I'm going to do things that are going to bring
2650.114625 2651.114625 me joy.
2651.114625 2655.234625 And when I look back on this next year, I want to see all the things that I accomplished,
2655.234625 2660.154625 you know, instead of being discontent with focusing on what everyone else is doing,
2660.154625 2662.394625 what everyone else has.
2662.394625 2665.474625 Do you find that you have more time in your day?
2665.474625 2666.474625 No.
2666.474625 2667.474625 Oh.
2667.474625 2672.514625 It's my fault, and I'll tell you why, because all of those goals that I have are taking up
2672.514625 2673.514625 my time.
2673.514625 2677.394625 So not only am I doing full time ministry, which is not a nine to five, it's on call all the
2677.394625 2678.394625 time.
2678.394625 2681.314625 It's now I have Spanish lessons twice a week.
2681.314625 2682.314625 It's I have homework.
2682.314625 2685.234625 I have, I teach piano lessons for three hours.
2685.234625 2687.994625 I take guitar like all this stuff.
2687.994625 2690.194625 I have filled my schedule.
2690.194625 2691.594625 I don't have time to look at my phone.
2691.594625 2692.594625 Well, that's good though.
2692.594625 2696.234625 I mean, like you have more time is in like, you're doing something other than doing
2696.234625 2697.234625 scrolling.
2697.234625 2698.474625 It's back to what she was saying.
2698.474625 2699.474625 She's a doer.
2699.474625 2700.474625 Mm-hmm.
2700.474625 2701.474625 She really is.
2701.474625 2702.474625 She's a dynamo.
2702.474625 2703.474625 Well, it's funny.
2703.474625 2708.714625 Someone said to me once, Sarah, you're a human being, not a human doing, and I was like, that's
2708.714625 2709.714625 not true for me.
2709.714625 2710.714625 Thanks.
2710.714625 2713.274625 Ironically, I taught on Sabbath the rest last night in youth group, but I was like, this
2713.274625 2715.794625 is funny because I should not be teaching on this.
2715.794625 2717.394625 No, that's the story for another day.
2717.394625 2719.914625 It's back to my favorite quote, Paul David Trip.
2719.914625 2722.594625 Let me never preach anything that I don't desperately need to hear myself.
2722.594625 2723.594625 Mm-hmm.
2723.594625 2724.594625 So there you go.
2724.594625 2725.594625 There you go.
2725.594625 2731.154625 We're talking about it on this podcast is because we need it for ourselves.
2731.154625 2732.154625 Mm-hmm.
2732.154625 2733.154625 Yeah.
2733.154625 2736.534625 Well, this has been a really great conversation.
2736.534625 2743.674625 I would like to know if there are any other thoughts that either of you have about this subject
2743.674625 2747.754625 of contentment.
2747.754625 2754.154625 I think for me, the biggest thing I want to reiterate to people is that it's okay if
2754.154625 2756.154625 you're not content right now.
2756.154625 2763.154625 Like we're constantly striving for that, yes, but Paul and Jesus know how difficult life
2763.154625 2764.154625 is.
2764.154625 2768.594625 So just an encouragement to our leaders of if you're struggling with this, it's okay, get
2768.594625 2773.154625 in your word, get in community with people and know that you're not alone because I'm
2773.154625 2778.194625 thinking of specific people who've been through some really hard things who are desiring things
2778.194625 2780.074625 that may never come to fruition.
2780.074625 2782.194625 It doesn't mean God doesn't love you.
2782.194625 2786.174625 It means that God is going to walk with you in this and so surround yourself with other
2786.174625 2791.034625 people who can walk alongside you and know that you're not alone, know that it's okay.
2791.034625 2795.914625 Well, let's all strive for that contentment together.
2795.914625 2803.114625 It comes back to knowing to our core that God is God.
2803.114625 2805.154625 He made us in him.
2805.154625 2810.034625 We live and move and have our being and he is trustworthy.
2810.034625 2816.994625 And even when we can't see where things are going, even when we hate the circumstances
2816.994625 2826.514625 are in, even when we might even be so angry that we don't even want to talk to him.
2826.514625 2827.514625 He's still there.
2827.514625 2829.514625 He's still working for our good.
2829.514625 2834.274625 His ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts and praise
2834.274625 2836.914625 God for that.
2836.914625 2847.114625 And just know that every step you take closer to him, every block that you build in this discipleship,
2847.114625 2853.794625 every time you pray, every time you read the word, you're working towards a little more
2853.794625 2864.894625 contentment.