Finding Contentment At Home

I have a confession.

I have a problem with contentment.

I have always found it challenging to be contented where I am.  I constantly want to do more.  More canning, more baking, more activities, more gardening!  If I sit down with nothing to do I feel uneasy.  Like I should be accomplishing something.

At the same time however I was constantly praying for contentment.  I knew that my heart was not right, and yet all my prayers seemed unanswered.  This was mainly because instead of submitting my will to God and what His plan was for me.  I was always striving for my way and my goals!  I thought, well if its good for my family then God would want me to do it right?  And of course God does want good things for us.  He wants to bless us.  But He also knows that even though something may seem great  it can turn into a burden in the end.

So when I finally did start submitting my will to God and trusting Him an amazing thing happened.  I had contentment and peace!  It is true what the bible says

Mathew 11:28

"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

This verse was constantly presented to me when I was going through my crises.  But I ignored the key words so long.  Come to Me it says.  God is beckoning to us, urging us, entreating us to just come to Him.  Like a father holding out His arms to a small child He calls us to run to Him and be enfolded in His loving protective arms and rest.  And like an innocent child if we just trust Him he will give us rest.  How beautiful that is!  

I was never raised with a loving father and missed that presence and love my whole life.  Because of my lack of a father I had a very hard time grasping the love of my God.  To me fathers were hurtful, cruel, and abusive.  There was no protection from them.  In fact if anything they taught me not to trust.   It took me being humbled by illness to start to trust God with my life.  But I will say I have never ever been disappointed. God does not fail us, even in our darkest storm.

Which is where I come in now.  Now I am so contented to just stay home and do my job.  But at the same time those little foxes sneak in.  I think to myself, and I'm not kidding, that I shouldn't be so contented.  I should be wanting to do things like go to the church for groups, I should be volunteering, I should not be contented!  Isn't it funny how even when we get what we want from God Satan sneaks in and starts trying to convince us it's not enough.

Just like when Eve was in the garden!  Here she was in the most beautiful place ever, every need satisfied, she was even able to speak with her creator, and Satan convinced her it was not enough!  

I have to sometimes take a time out and remember to rest in The Lord.  Also God gives us some great direction and encouragement in His word about our responsibilities as women.  

Titus 2

the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.


And of course Psalm 31 which outlines what a truly great lady is like.  Notice that it never says for her to work outside the home.  Only to work in the home.  It never says she needs to be volunteering or doing church work, only that she should help the poor.  Her focus, which is a huge job, is on her home and family.

The Virtuous Wife

¹⁰ Who^[b] can find a virtuous^[c] wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
²² She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.