Daily Devotionals

Finding Contentment in Any Circumstance

Posted in Anger/Frustration

Scripture:  “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to tread on the heights.” – Habakkuk 3:17-19

 

We all experience change, whether we like it or not. Sometimes this change is good and exciting, and sometimes it is unwanted and frustrating. 

 

For me, this summer started off frustrating. While I usually am so excited for summer, this year was a little different. I really enjoyed my freshman year of college because I had new freedoms, new activities, and new friends. While it may not seem like that big of a deal, moving the 10 minutes back home from USC campus was hard. It was difficult to go from college life to life back at home without my new friends or a lot of activity.

 

In today’s key scripture, verse 17 of Habakkuk’s third chapter embodies how we sometimes feel after a change, like nothing is how it is supposed to be. While it can be a hard pill to swallow when things aren’t the same as they were, it is so important to be happy with where we are. When you google the word “contentment,” it reads: “a state of happiness and satisfaction.” To combat my discontentment, I began trying to be thankful for the little things. For example, I noticed and gave thanks for the warm weather, my break from schoolwork, the chance to see friends that I don’t go to school with anymore, and my internship at Eastminster. God gives us so much to be thankful for in every season of life. 

 

The last two verses of Habakkuk 3 say, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk’s message here is that regardless of the circumstances, he is going to rejoice in the Lord. Even when it feels like everything is falling apart, he is still going to be committed to being joyful in God. Despite the bad, we have to keep rejoicing and being thankful for the little things. God puts us places in our lives on purpose, and it is so important to find that state of happiness and satisfaction through Him. 

 

Prayer: God, thank You for all the little things I may not always notice. Thank You for putting me where I am in life right now. Help me remember to praise You when it feels like everything is going wrong, as well as when life is good. You have a plan for me, Lord. Give me the strength to get through hard times and be content where I am. Lord, please be with me and shine through me today. Amen. 

 

Submitted by Kate Swan