Calm My Anxious Heart Ch. 1

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation." Phil 4:12

Throughout my entire college career at BBC I had this verse written on a 3X5 card on my memo board. I read it all the time. I knew that I had been blessed in so many ways and simply needed to pause and be thankful for my situations. I needed to be content in all that God had given to me. It wasn't until the other night when I read this chapter that I actually focused on the verb in this verse. In the past I focused on the direct object being the secret of contentment. I completely missed out on the notion that this is a learned thing. Paul wasn't always content!!! He had learned through his life experiences that he could BE content with whatever was brought his way. Wow! I too can learn this contentment!!! There are so many times I look ahead and worry or anticipate the future. I enjoy my life but always look to the next step. It isn't that I am an overwhelmingly discontent person, but I focus on what will come or what I want to come rather than what is happening at the moment. I feel like this is a great time in my life to learn some contentment. We are at a crossroad. We are almost debt-free, married for 2.5 years, wondering if PA will be our forever home or if we should look around before "officially" settling down. I'd love to just get settled, to buy a house and start a family. Some days I focus on that so much that I forget to be thankful for this stage of life. We have our needs met, wonderful jobs, and friends and family that deeply care for us. I am learning that while I'd love to be in a different stage of life, I will miss this stage when I get to the next.

I don't need to be overwhelmed and anxious about the future but I need to be content where we are and prayerfully seek His face for future direction. I love how the previous passage in Philippians reads, "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Wherever I am in my journey of life, I can seek his face and He will supply peace.

Peace and contentment, that is what I long for. For whatever comes my way, if my heart is wrapped in those two principles, my natural instinct will be to praise and seek Him, trusting that He will supply the strength for any given circumstance.