I find that the happiest, most contented people in life are those who want what they already have; those who know what they have to be thankful for and remind themselves of it daily. One of my friends leads a very different life to me. She’s a young single parent with three children living on a fairly rough estate. Her life is hard. She works for low income and scrimps and saves to buy things for her little ones. Every time I see her she is such a happy, positive influence on me. I can’t help imagining what she’d be like as a Christian. She blows me away with her attitude, in spite of her tough circumstances.

What we believe about life, God, ourselves and others determines firstly our thought processes and, secondly, our behaviour. ‘We are what we do repeatedly,’ as the wise man Aristotle is believed to have said. If we constantly feel as though we will be happier if we own such and such…. or more contented when we’ve finished this or that… chances are, we’ll be right. And what about the meantime? Well, it may just become that- Mean time. Time we begrudge. Time we don’t enjoy. Time ill spent. Wasted.

Success to me isn’t about earning pots of money or gaining favour with the ‘in’ people. It’s not about owning the right house, wearing the right perfume or being in the coolest car. Success is when I sow the seeds Father has planted in me.

That is true contentment.
I pray you find that place of deep peace today- whatever life is throwing at you.