Learning Contentment

So, how does one learn to be content?  There is only one good answer...and one good way.  

The last few months, I have had to stay home.  I mean really stay home.  I was having tummy issues.  No, not those kinds of tummy issues.  The kind of tummy issues that just about knocked me to my knees.  Every single time I ate, my stomach felt like someone had hit me, hard.  I got nauseated, felt burning sensations, felt like I had been hit.  I can still reproduce the feeling if I eat fatty foods...which I now try to avoid at all costs.  (Because I did yesterday...ate fatty foods...and today, oh my, I am feeling like someone gave me a nice punch to my gut.)

The doctor who is helping me sort out all the tummy troubles, bless his heart, figures there are several things happening.  But he was kind enough to rule out cancer, and for that I am thankful.  I have stopped taking my acid reflux medication as it was making things worse; have taken anti-parasitical medication and now have more energy; and have had to remove most stress in my life (if that is possible!)  I have also been asked to not add anything new to my plate or pick up any old out-of-the-house activities for about six months.  The hope is that we will not have to remove my gall bladder and can reverse damage that an always-on-the-go lifestyle has wreaked on my digestive tract.

Needless to say, it can sometimes be hard to remain content and to stay where I know God wants me to stay.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I have plenty to do.  I am learning the fine art of reorganizing, or shall I say organizing, my home.  I am spending time home schooling my littlest.  I am helping teach my older boys a bible study and disciple them, and just be there for them. I am a welcoming committee of one to my wonderful man when he comes home. I am a prayer warrior for friends.  I am seeing incredible fruit just from doing that.  And it is good.

But then that temptation to be discontent washes over me.  I think it is a mighty battle within.  I went to church today and there was a ministry fair.  And to tell you the truth, I wanted to run around and sign up for all the ministries, just so I could tell others about the wonderful things God has been teaching me in my bible study time at home.

Oh, wait.   At home.  Where am I learning all this wonderful stuff?  Right where God has me.  At home.  Oh yeah.  (Pause here and contemplate this with me.)  

My Pastor talked of getting my game shirt on today and getting in the game.  I so badly wanted to throw on that shirt, and yell, "Put me in Coach!  I can do it!".  You see, I keep forgetting there is a time for everything -- a season.  And it is the off season for me right now.  It is the time when I am supposed to be training, and practicing.  God makes that pretty clear to me in my study.  But I keep looking forward to that big game.  I want to feel the three pointer slide off my fingers and swoosh through the rim.  I want to be part of the camaraderie of working hard side by side.

But then again, I remember what God says about obedience.  And once again, I am humbled.  My training is right here at home.  And there is only one way for me to learn to be content...and that is to be content right where God has me.  That is my training- my training for the big game.  Right now I am working on contentment.