To Everything A Season

Contentment and Financial Fences

In my bible study (James McDonald's "Lord, Change My Attitude) we just finished a week's worth of homework on "Contentment." We were previously addressing a COVETOUS attitude; we are to replace it with - CONTENTMENT!

During the video session, McDonald presented his "financial fences." They include:

*Limit spending
*Limit lifestyle
*Limit income
*Give more every year
*Give in ways that no one will know anything about

As a child of God, we are called to be content with the gifts he chooses to give us. Of course, McDonald also goes on to address that contentment is more than satisfaction with the material things that He has provided.

It is contentment in your life in general:

where I am
what I do
what I have
whom I'm with

Philippians 4:11
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

We were challenged to choose a strategy and put it into action this week. Here were a few to choose from and practice:

*Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. Refuse to be a slave to it.
*Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
*Develop a habit of giving things away. Declutter. Simplify your life.
*Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
*Refuse the craving for the newest, latest, greatest thing.
*Keep the main thing the main thing. Don't let "good" things distract you from God as priority.

I'm practicing!