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Ankle Deep in the Muck

             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 can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

I was going to continue in II Peter, and I’ll probably go back there tomorrow, but I struggled with a recurrent attitude problem this morning, and this passage came to mind. I don’t know quite how I stumbled into “Boo hoo, I’m such a failure,” but there I was, ankle-deep in the muck.

I started praying honestly about the situation. The truth is that I am a failure. I told Him that the only way I could not be a failure (in my own eyes) would be for me to be as perfect as God. Then I corrected myself. The only way I could be a success in my own eyes would be to be better than God. Not possible? That’s… the… point. It’s the point that caused Eve and Adam to sin. They lacked wisdom and knew that it would be a good thing to have. If the fruit would grant them wisdom so they could be “good enough,” well…

As I fussed, I told God I wished I could be content, and today’s passage came to mind. Paul had learned to be content in a variety of circumstances. His contentedness had to do with his faith or confidence that he could do all things through God, who strengthened him, which was based on the fact that he could do all things through God, who strengthened him.

I have to wonder how Paul went through those times. Yes, he sang praises in prison at least once. But he also wrote of being persecuted, beaten, lost at sea, etc. I’m fairly certain that his attitude wasn’t always “No big deal.” Even Jesus faced a time when He asked that the cup be taken away - but chose God’s will over His own. It was for the joy set before Him that He endured the cross, but that joy didn’t make it a piece of cake. I’m a much bigger wimp than either, but two ideas came out of my fussing at God. The first was that contentedness depends on keeping our focus on God. God can get us through these things. It also depends on looking for God's blessings in the muck.

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