I know it all... Pride Pt 1

Hey Reader,

Welcome back to Living Contentment - as always the intent is to give you a nudge towards real, deep contentment with something contentment-related to read, to do, and to pray.

We're currently revisiting some causes of discontentment we've looked at before. If you have been reading this newsletter for several years - you'll probably remember some of these.

READ THIS

We like to think we know what's best. For others, for our employer, our friends, our community, our family - and especially for ourselves. The problem with this attitude is when it's adopted by people who claim there is a perfect divine being.

These two beliefs clash pretty hard:I know what's best; God knows all and is good.

We can't have it both ways.

Either we always know what's best for us - or God is all-knowing and loving.

Either he allows things we don't like because they can be used for good - or we see correctly and some things are just a complete waste.

Either I can perfectly plan the future - or my ideas are sometimes going to be wrong.

There are so many things that have happened in my life, that I look at and think, "It's OBVIOUS what's the best choice here."

That move I just know would be best for our family.
That relationship I can clearly see was the best.
That job that obviously would be the ideal way forward.

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I think I can see the best potential outcome...

...but when it doesn't happen - I'm mad (or at least disappointed).

I'm not even talking about the hard/bad/painful things we can learn from. Like something horrible happens but you become more humble, or depend on God more because of it (we'll address that in a future newsletter).

Right now I'm only talking about those times when there are two possible outcomes, and I can CLEARLY SEE which one is better.

When it doesn't happen- I'm upset.

However, this means I started from the assumption I know what's best. That I can see every potential outcome. I know how that other option would have played out.

There have been plenty of times in my life where something didn't (or did) happen - and I get upset because CLEARLY, it's the wrong thing. Then a few days, or months, or years (or minutes) go by, and I realize I had no idea how the situation would play out.

At the time it's hard to admit the outcome I think is best may not be the best. But that's only because of my pride. I don't like to think I don't know best. Especially when it's something really important, and emotionally charged, and personal.

I need to - at the time - just remember how much I really know. How limited my understanding is. How being bound in time and space gives me a very narrow viewpoint.

That's humbling.

And that's what I need to remember to do a lot more.

Constantly being upset because what I want isn't happening - is going to lead to a whole lot of discontentment.

DO THIS

Job 38:1-42:6 is one of my favorite passages of scriptures (which probably says something about me)

The way I read it - Job starts to complain to God about things going down in a way Job doesn't think is best.

God responds with (and I'm paraphrasing here):
"Do you have any idea who I am? I made the earth. I created the universe. I exist in eternity. Are you now coming to me to tell me I messed up?!"

Think about the last time you REALLY, STRONGLY knew exactly what's best. And it didn't go down that way. Imagine complaining to God about it, and read even Job 41:-42:6.

Hopefully, it helps put our knowledge in perspective and allows us to sit contently in the reality that God knows more than us, and wants good for us.

PRAY THIS

God of all knowledge
It's hard to admit you know more than me,
that you have things in store for me that I can't even imagine.
God of all love
It's hard to remember that you love me better than I love myself
and that you want better things for me than I know of.
Give me humility to trust you are actually in control.
Give me humility to believe you do love me.
Amen

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Talk to you next Thursday!

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~George

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