The One Thing you Must know about Contentment

My husband calls her Bella, a middle name that describes her beauty.  When she sees me her world stands still.  She runs and jumps into my arms – such joy, such excitement. She delights my soul. Such is the blessing of grandbabies.

As we play, I watch her. Life is simple.  She mother’s her dollies and her baby sister. She is content.

I pray.

I find myself wishing I could keep the world from moving in and dismantling the joy and contentment of such simple moments in her life. I wonder how I can demonstrate a life that teaches her this discipline in spite of my own wandering heart.

Genuine contentment flows from what I love, and I confess that sometimes I don’t love wisely.

The little one teaches me that only one thing is necessary for contentment. Presence. The giving away of the heart to the one you love.

I feel it when she reaches for me in the night when she’s afraid. She touches my face for assurance. Presence calms her. She asks for her song. I sing. Contentment comes. We’re both satisfied because we feel the unspoken love between us.

The contentment her love brings draws me to His love.

This is the love we were created for. It paints a picture on the canvas of our souls and opens our hearts to experience the joy of true contentment.

Then the world steps in, and I become aware of all of things that lead me away from the one thing that is most necessary. Presence. His presence.  Ann Voskamp says:

“Every moment my inner heart is saying No to the God of the universe—I am saying yes to the enemy of my soul.”

I ask myself why it’s so hard for me to remain content in perfect love. My heart is so prone to wandering. I chase after the idols of career, success, relationships, and control, believing that somehow they will fill me.

I say I desire contentment in Him, but I chose a divided heart.

I say I desire His peace but I allow chaos.

I say I desire solitude with Him, but I seldom take the time to be still.

Whatever direction I allow desire to take me in will determine the condition of my heart. If I chose unwisely true contentment will elude me.

Then the little one comes and reminds me. She whispers in my ear – a secret. We giggle. She tells me not to concern myself with the duties of the world. We have more important work to do together. She tugs on my hand to suggest the urgency of our mission. “Play,” she says, and invites me to step into the wonder of contentment that requires only presence.

The sweetness of presence connects us and makes our world together come alive. It’s about knowing and being known. It brings me back to the Father. Back to the presence that stirs my heart and reminds me that He is inviting me moment by moment to experience contentment, just as the little one does, tugging at my heart to know and be known in a way that no one else can.

Jesus is calling us beloved – receive the gift of contentment today through the gift of His presence.