Contentment.....again.

Tuesday was as perfect a day as I've had for a long time.  Aside from the usual fatigue, I was symptom/side effect free, even after downing the POUS.  Stretched out on the sofa in the late afternoon, the front door open, I listened to the birds and thanked God that I was alive at that very moment to enjoy all that He offered.
Tuesday night brought fitful sleep.  Wednesday I was light-headed and had stomach discomfort.  Wednesday night brought fitful sleep again and here I am on Thursday morning half-dreading the requisites of the day ahead.
What's wrong with this picture?  Unfortunately, it's me.  I'm guilty of laboring under the misconception that because I'm not content at least most of the time, I'm falling short of some invisible mark....that discontent is a flaw and if I experience it, I haven't been listening to and applying the correct lessons. I try to tell myself that contentment is simply a choice and I should "just do it!", or "just be it!", in this case.  But it's not that easy.
Jeremiah Burroughs, in his Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, points out that even the great apostle, Paul, had to learn contentment, so I'm in good company.  I need to listen as he (Paul) says:
"Now godliness with contentment is great gain...and having food and clothing, with these we shall be content."-1 Timothy 6:6,8 (NKJV).  Hmmm...Paul said "gain".  That tells me that contentment didn't come instilled in me at birth.  I must learn it in order to gain it.
Paul reminds me in Hebrews 13:5 that I must be content with the things I already have, and again in Philippians 4:11 he tells me, "...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content."-(NKJV). There's that word "learned" again.  Does this mean that I can be content even with having cancer?  Of course it does.
Burroughs goes on to say, "A gracious heart is contented by the melting of his will and desires into God's will and desires; by this means he gets contentment..... This, too, is a mystery..."
There's so much more but this is plenty to chew on for one morning.  Today's lessons are ready for me and waiting to be learned.

"Give yourself fully to the adventure of today.  Walk boldly along the path of Life, relying on your ever-present Companion.  You have every reason to be confident (or content, in my case) because My presence accompanies you all the days of your life-and onward into eternity."-Sarah Young (Jesus Calling).