When I say content, I don’t mean lukewarm, wishy-washy, apathetic, indifferent, impassive, or other uninspiring words like this.

I mean content as in deep peace that this (whatever this is) is enough. That I am enough. And this is good.

When I say content, I don’t mean to not have goals or to not make plans.

I mean content as in I know where my life is going because I do have goals and I understand that time is also a part of those goals and because I am enough I can allow time to play the part that time is required to play.

Blessed are the content, for they shall stop the chaos of striving. Because those who are not content are living their lives out of scarcity.

It is scarcity that says to you “you are not enough” so you must strive and strive and strive to get more.

It is scarcity that speaks inside your head because of unhealed shame in your life.

It is scarcity that is driving you to control your life outcome by trying and trying and trying.

We believe incorrectly that the opposite of scarcity is abundance. Thus the continual cycle of buying more, eating more, exercising more, posting more, etc. This is exhausting, isn’t it? It is exhausting and the process is actually holding you back from entering into a life where you are free to love and be loved. By believing that more will solve your feelings of scarcity, you continue to enslave yourself by working ever harder against an unrealistic ideal so that you will achieve “more”–further deepening your “never enough” mad cycle.

Blessed are the content, for they shall stop the chaos of striving (and the fear of “am I enough?”).

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.

The beginning of this verse is quoted a lot, often misquoted. It is often wrongly quoted as “money is the root of all evil.” The Bible clearly says it is the love of money. This love of money feeds strongly into your scarcity. You are bound by the driving thought, “If only I could have that new outfit, that new couch, that new car, that new house, then I will be happy and content.” But you never really are. It is a mad cycle.

The second part of this verse is also quoted a lot. It is beautiful for God clearly and blackly-and-whitely says, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” I know this verse personally from the choice I’ve made to live broken-hearted.

So let’s put this verse correctly together. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

When you can live your life with contentedness, you will find God’s hand in your life. His hand that is always there. But when you are living in scarcity YOU are always striving to fill that hole. YOU are always hustling and planning and controlling. And YOU are never able to hear the truth that God says to you…

You are enough.

Blessed are the content, for they shall stop the chaos of striving (and realize how God has never left you).

Scarcity is fear disguised by your supposed control. The fear that you think helps you keep your life in control but really keeps you out of vulnerability and back into that exhaustion you wake up with. Aren’t you tired? Scarcity is the engine that runs your life, sets your goals, and exhausts you as you strive to accomplish them now.

I clipped this from a beautifully written book, Simply Tuesday, by Emily P. Freeman. This book is full of this “beatitude” thought.

When fear bullies my soul, I know it because I spend lots of time wishing I was someplace else:

• I become obsessed with building my life.
• I am frantic to catch up.
• I feel like I’m missing out.
• I search but don’t have hope of finding.
• I build but don’t have a vision for finishing.
• I strive but don’t believe I have what it takes.
• I compete.
• I compare.
• I hide.
• I feel ashamed but I don’t know why.
• I refuse to move toward others.
• I dread small beginnings.
• I look at other people’s eight-foot assignments. (Emily P. Freeman, Simply Tuesday)

Don’t let fear bully your soul.  How many checkmarks could you place on that list?

Blessed are the content, for they shall stop the chaos of striving (and fear loses control over your life).

Blessed are the content, for they shall stop the chaos of striving (which affects everyone around them).

The people who love you will want to dwell in your peace of this contentedness. It is endearing. It is attractive. Instead, your people are exhausted by you.

You can choose a different way. Contentedness is yours to have. It is okay to live contented—while you let time do its work to help you meet your goals. It is okay to be okay with what you have right now. This is so attractive.

But it requires that you acknowledge this fear.  It requires that you heal your shame.  It requires you to rest in the black-and-white truth that “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  As you are right now, you can’t rest.  You don’t allow yourself to rest.  But you must.  Let this full thought of Hebrews 13:5 seap into every pour of your fear.  This is a good starting point.

I do wish for you contentment. Worthiness is your birthright. You were enough the minute you were born.  Find healing.  Be brave.

p.s.  There is a reason why I’ve always been so fond of Winnie-the-Pooh.