10 Things You Need to Find Contentment

1. Learn to delight in Him.

As much as I tried to fight it, nostalgia visited often. Memories of all I used to do when sighted filled my head. Thoughts of the things I could do if I could still see. And sometimes I lamented the longings, the desires that were left hanging, unfulfilled and empty.

But sweet contentment came back when I fulfilled God’s prerequisite.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

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2. Focus on the blessings.

My 6-year-old son placed a paper in my hand. “My teacher said this is important,” he said.

I bit my lower lip… Lord, show me what to do.

“Mommy,” he said, “You can’t read it; how will we know what it says?”

“Tell you what,” I said, “You read this to me and spell the words you cannot read. And if we figure out what it says, you get an extra snack.”

He cheered. And with eager concentration, word after word, he read the page.

As he did, I smiled and silently thanked God. My sight was gone but God made my life rich with so many blessings, including creativity and, more importantly, the wisdom to put it into practice.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

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3. Exchange self-pity for His peace.

I remember the days when I’d pack my three little guys in the back seat, and head out to the mall, a soccer practice, or a birthday party. 

But now I was pitifully dependant on everyone. That self-pity threatened to turn to depression. So I took a deep breath and realized my loss of physical independence made me spiritually dependant on God.

That was a good place to be. No “poor me” anymore. I placed all anxious thoughts aside. Instead, I invited thoughts of God’s promises. Particularly the peace He offered—the peace I never knew when I could see.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) 

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4. Claim God's joy.

My little boys would often see me pressing a cold pack on my forehead. Ice would ease the pain from the lump, as I had inadvertently struck an open kitchen cabinet door. It seemed that happy moments were gone. Our life wasn’t normal anymore, and joy got lost in the midst of daily challenges.

Until one night when, right before bedtime, my 4-year-old had gone inside the covers head first. I leaned over to kiss him goodnight. Instead of kissing his round cheek, I kissed his big toe. He laughed. And I laughed harder.

And that’s when I resolved that a sense of humor would be part of our lives. Laughter would be abundant and I would relish in a new kind of contentment by claiming God’s joy to be my strength.

 “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) 

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5. Make patience your best friend.

One day a friend invited me to a Mary Kay party. As I teased my friends around the table, telling them they looked gorgeous, I reached for a pencil. It was an eyeliner.

In one of those silly moments, I held it against the base of my eyelashes, with one slow, careful motion; I pressed the pencil across the base of my eyelashes. 

My friends gasped. “Your eyeliner is on better than ours and we can see.”

I grinned. And from that day on, God gave me the patience to learn to do it all—to apply all my make-up myself, to style my hair, to organize my closet, and learn to coordinate my clothes and jewelry.

During my affliction, frustration would have been my ruin, but instead, patience became my friend.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12-13)

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6. Don't carry the load alone.

I tossed in my bed, reviewing the details over and over again. The family trip my husband and I had planned stirred excitement in our three sons. 

But all the details made me restless. Unable to see, I feared I’d miss something or I’d forget something important. And I didn’t want to burden my husband with these concerns as he had his own stress with work.

My thoughts went from the packing, to worrying about navigating once we got to our destination. Would it be way too cumbersome to keep track of three active little boys and at the same time, expect my husband to lead me around?

Questions bombarded me. But before the concerns turned to burdens too heavy for me to carry, Jesus’ words brushed reassurance into my heart. He had said to come to Him, to bring those burdens to Him and release them. And as I sighed with relief, sleep and rest finally came.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

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7. Trust Jesus, even in the storms.

I was stirring spaghetti sauce in the kitchen when a loud knock at the front door startled me. As I drew closer, I heard the unmistakable screams of my 5-year-old son.

His cries were of pain. My heart beat fast as I yanked the door open.

“He fell,” the neighbor said. “He has a nasty cut on the back of his head.”

I lifted him in my arms, “You’re okay, honey.”

I tried to calm him, but I was the one who wasn’t okay. Unable to see, I couldn’t locate the place of the cut on his head. All I could feel was the moist, strands of hair with blood.

Help me, Jesus. And my breathing calmed down when I pictured Jesus with me. In my anguish, He was with me. And in my eagerness to take care of my son, He was with me.

Hubby met us at the hospital. And eight stitches later, we came home. Peace reigned once again. 

How grateful I was to God for bringing reassurance, knowing that no matter the storms, He’s there.

“He [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, and ‘Lord, save us! We're going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” (Matthew 8:23-26)

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8. Know that God's grace is enough.

Life went on. But often my three little boys didn’t understand their mom was completely blind. They expected me to do what I had done when I could still see. 

And there was so much to do; so many tasks, so many demands. And when I was tempted to give up, God’s Word whispered reassurance. He spoke hope into my days. And He reminded me that in Him, I had all I needed.

In His hands, my weakness turned into the strength I needed to face each day.

“… he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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9. Embrace your limitations.

“You should become a Spanish interpreter,” a friend suggested one day.

“No way. How would I be able to study and become an interpreter?”

But that night, in prayer, and aware of my visual limitations, I more fervently placed my trust in God. I took an oral aptitude test for this skill and passed with a high score. I trained vigorously, practiced, and practiced some more. Eventually I became an award-winning Spanish interpreter.

As I continue that career, rather than fret about my visual limitation, I embraced it as God uses that to enhance my concentration.

In spite of my blindness, God had begun the work in me to accomplish this task. And as He promised, He took it to completion.

”He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

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10. Make gratitude your secret weapon.

During a recent TV interview, the host asked me, “Can you tell us what is the secret of your joy? Without sight, most would be living in gloom.”

“I have no secret,” I said. “Each morning I wake up and before I start my day, I don’t bring thoughts of sadness because I cannot see my surroundings. Instead, I thank God for the ways that His love and guidance will be seen.”

And as I go through my day, work on my next book, prepare for a speaking engagement, and travel to other states and countries by myself, I make gratitude my constant companion.

Filling my thoughts with thankfulness ushers God’s power to bring contentment in all circumstances. That includes wherever I am—in the comfort of my home, on a cruise ship, in an airplane, or in a strange, dilapidated hotel in a third-world country.

“… I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Janet Perez Eckles is an international speaker and author of four books. Her best-selling release, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta invites you to experience the simplicity of finding joy even in the midst of painful losses. With engaging stories, Simply Salsa gives practical steps to overcome heartache, fear and celebrate life once again. http://www.janetperezeckles.com

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