I happened to pick up Margin by Richard A. Swenson which has been on my shelf unread for a long time. I liked his chapter on contentment and this quote is from it. Italics are mine.
Contentment isn't the complacency that defeats any attempt to make things better, but instead the willingness to work tirelessly for improvement, clinging to God rather than results. It isn't a feeling of well-being contingent on keeping circumstances under control, but instead a joy that exists in spite of circumstances and looks to the God who never varies. It isn't the comfortable feeling we get when all our needs and desires are met, but instead the security in knowing, as A. W. Tozer reminds us, that "The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One." - Richard A. Swenson
I hope that someday I'll have time to write real posts instead of sharing quotes.
But my canner has been in business every day this week. Until the canner goes on a sabbatical, I'm stuck in the kitchen scrubbing pots.
And trying to build a heart of contentment.
I love this, Gina. I have wanted to read Margin for a long time. Guess I had better put it on my wish list. Thanks so much for sharing this quote. It is just what I needed today!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gina...Randy asked me to print this out...we were just talking about contentment...specifically in our small family business. Blessings to you and your canner! ;-) ~Eunice
ReplyDeleteEunice-
DeleteSince it is campmeeting week, I've been thinking of you and the many others who made memories in past years. I'd sure love to sit down on a picnic table and chat with you for an hour. Or two or three.
Blessings as serve God in the north.
Gina
Well worth sharing. I needed this today too.
ReplyDeleteDeborah
We heard him speak at a conference at least 15 years ago. He was very interesting. We have his book in the Church/School library, though it is a pretty old copy. I bought 2 books then.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina, I just found your blog tonight ( doing a recipe search and it came up) and you sound pretty content to me. Maybe contentment is more of a heart condition than we think?? And in the middle of non-stop canning it is sometimes difficult to see the "forest for the trees" until the end of the day and we can look at the line-up of jars on the counter ( or the faces around the table) and SEE what we did. The scriptures say that "godliness with contentment is great gain".......there is no contentment outside of God for us humans; it is the way we were created, but somehow we just wander from that truth so many times, don't we??! When we leave Him out of our life, we are never "happy". Keep writing; even quotes from others and short blogs are better than nothing, aren't they?! :) I love the bread posts, and anything about canning. Thanks for taking the time!
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