Contentment

I spent the past week reading through the book of Job. Talk about putting life into perspective! For a month or two now it seemed every day I would read or hear something about having joy no matter what the situation. That true joy is not dependent on circumstances. I think it's finally beginning to sink into my brain. Look at Job - had everything going for him - wife, 10 kids who loved him and each other, riches galore and respected by everyone he knew. He lost it ALL in a matter of minutes - minutes! Yet he sank to his knees and cried out "The Lord gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." the very next verse says "Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." Job had no clue why these things were happening to him - in human eyes, it all seemed the ultimate of unfair treatment - but he turned to the Source of strength and blessed the Lord. Wow !
Ok, the other night my dear love went to the bank at the end of the day to cash his check and when he got home $50 was missing. It was too late to go back to the bank and it was Friday...I totally flipped (ok, i'm not much of a flipper, but as much as i can flip, i flipped)...Anyways, there was nothing we could do about it at that moment - the situation was out of our control until tomorrow. About an hour later I had to cry to God for forgiveness because I'd just denied everything I'd been learning - joy not dependent on circumstances. Who cares about $50 when there is a lost and dying world out there!?!? Was I filled with the Spirit - no way, I was wallowing in self. Job lost way more than $50 - he lost 10 children in an instant! Yet his first reaction was to bless God because HE gives and HE takes away.
So I'm learning - and I'm so far from having "arrived." But I'll remember that lesson as I go through the upcoming weeks!