Biggest Loser - Week 7 - contentment

Hey it's Saturday, not Thursday night, but I just couldn't get myself together enough to sit down and form a post before this morning! We'll see if I can do it now! Forgive me if I ramble on!!

In my journey of weight loss over the years I have always fretted on "why must I always watch what I eat?" "why can't I eat like skinny people I see (this of course includes my wonderful, precious husband)? "why me, why me, why me????!!!!!" blah, blah, blah!!! You name if I have said it and stumped my feet! (that by the way is a story in itself, I may have to blog about my fee stumpin' sometime) I wanted to do what I wanted to do!!! Forget the fact that it wasn't healthy for me, I WANTED TO EAT WHATEVER I WANTED WHENEVER I WANT AND WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS!!!!

Hummmm..... does that sound like I was content? Not so much!

The devotion that just hit me between the eyes this week was entitled "Be content". The scripture verse was:

1 Timothy 6:6-8

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world,

and we can take nothing out of it.

But if we have food and clothing,

we will be content with that.

The author goes on to say how God provides for our every need, but we in all our human self-centeredness say "well that just ain't good enough!". I want more! I want something different! I want to be skinnier without sacrifice!! You fill in the blank_______________________! She uses the example of the Israelites in the desert from Numbers 11: 4-6. This is the one where they are sick and tired of the Manna that God was providing (without effort on their part) for them daily. They thought and actually said they were better off being slaves in Egypt because there they got to eat cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But here all we get is this awful white stuff! (my emphasis)

They were not grateful for what God was providing! They always wanted something more! God was just not giving them what they wanted! I'm reminded of the toddler mentality here! Doesn't that sound like something a little child would say?!

Here are a couple quotes that spoke to me:

"a state of discontentment will invariable cloud our perception and even make us ungrateful for the blessings we experience each day."

"The goodness of God moved Him to break the law of sowing and reaping on their (Israelites) behalf. But instead of responding with awe and thanksgiving, they grumbled." (that's me too!)

This one is a biggy for me: :The root of their discontentment was that they found restriction intolerable." Remember above "I want, what I want!!!!" Ouch that one hurt real good!!!!

"They were upset because limits were placed on what they could eat, and this was heightened by their awareness of what they were missing." (oh ouch again!)

"Like the Israelites, we tend to let restriction cloud our eyes to provision."

lastly:

"The issue for the Israelites (and me) was not manna but thanklessness and rebellion."

All these quotes were from "Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss" by Kara Davis, MD

I have to admit this is how I think too! I so want to glorify God through this journey, so I confess my thanklessness and rebellion to Him and to you!

Here is the prayer from the end of the devotion:

Father, I rejoice today in your provisions, and I choose to live in a state of contentment. Help me to understand that contentment brings peace, and thankfulness brings joy. Lord, I purpose to take my eye off what I don't have and rejoice in what I've been given. AMEN!!!

.3lb loss Contentment gained!