Lessons Learned part 6

Well as I said yesterday today will be the last part in this series. I kept the last commitment as a single and final commitment, not because it was less important, not because I can't count but because it is both extremely important and it finishes the series so well. Again in case you didn't read the first posts or in case you forgot please remember that I didn't write these 10 commitments, I wish I had, but I didn't. These come out of a book written by Doug Fields called Your First Two Years in Ministry.

The 10th and final commitment in our list and one that I find the most difficult is:

#10 I will pursue contentment.
Easier said than done. The first time I read this principle I said no problem I already to that. I'm content with my life, all is good, I have everything I need and I am happy! However if I had another laptop I could improve my productivity, Oh and even better if I had an iPhone that would be totally awesome I could really multi task. Maybe I could get one when I buy my new bike, or if I had a new car and bigger car I would attract more youth and have a program as good as... Well there goes the contentment principle. We live in an age where new and improved has become the norm. You don't fix stuff you buy new stuff and when we get the new stuff we want to upgrade it right away. I was at a Harley dealership last week looking, OK drooling at some bikes and the customer beside me had just agreed to purchase a 2009 Harley Davidson Fat Boy (my dream bike) valued at over $20,000.00 and the first question out of his mouth was what can I do to customize this bike? How much for new pipes, pegs, seat and chrome bling? He hadn't put 1km on the bike and already he was upgrading the basic look of the bike. I guess he wasn't content with just a Fat Boy.
The problem with contentment is that it becomes a fine line with laziness. It's easy to say that I'm not going to do this or that I'm content with everything I have. Are you really or are you just not doing anything and finding excuses. You see what I mean it's a fine line.

It's up to you to find the balance between contentment and laziness but once you do what an awesome feeling. The apostle Paul put really well in (Philippians 4:11-12) "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

I hope this mini blog post series was helpful and I encourage you to review the 10 commitments regularly as a refresher.

Talk at you later

Marty