“Be honest, but be content.”
TenayBenes.com
The Status
On Day 28 of our #40daysoffaith adventure moving from MD to CO on the word of God, I made a vow to God—something I do not take lightly—to not complain about our housing situation (or anything else) for 30 days.
This was a classic moment of Holy Spirit illumination of my heart and invitation to take authority over it. As I was skimming through Philippians chapter 2 in the Bible last week, the verse about not muttering or debating jumped out at me, and the verse stick in my head for several days. It came up over and over in my remembrance until I realized God was not gonna let it go.
(Of note, this used to be the primary way I used to allow God to speak to me; today, I’ve learned that God speaks in many ways.)
“I guess I have been complaining lately about our situation, if only in my heart,” I said to myself… and God was probably listening. “I mean, we live in a walk-in closet with a two year old. This is really hard, Lord!” God replied, “I’m not saying to pretend that things aren’t difficult. But when you complaining, you sprinkle discontentment on top of the difficulty in which you find yourself. Complaining never satisfies discontentment, it only feeds it. Be honest, but be content.”
The Takeaway
“Do all things apart-from mutterings and debates.” Philippians 2:14 (from the Interlinear)
As I clicked into the original Greek words in this scripture (thanks, Bible Hub) I realized that mutterings are the sound we make when we murmur to ourselves in displeasure, but debates are what we do when we speak with displeasure to others. God didn’t want me to harbor discontentment in myself, and he didn’t want me to spread it to my husband (or to any of you). He wanted it nipped in the bud so that this faith journey wouldn’t feel harder than it needs to—and so shall my words and thoughts be pruned.
The Prayer
God, I invite you into the recesses of my heart to prune my brain cells, and to reshape my subconscious thoughts (my heart) into God-honoring thoughts, even in the midst of a difficult situation. You are doing everything for a reason. I believe in your good nature. Amen.
The Challenge
What is your #40daysoffaith adventure and how did Day 28 go? What is something God has asked you to give up to make this journey easier?