⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:6-7

 For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.”

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 Contentment and peace seem to go hand in hand. Both are difficult to find in our fast paced society. As I’ve read and absorbed various articles concerning contentment, I am surprised at how often the word peace in intertwined with the resulting definition.

For many years, I struggled to find contentment in my life, and if I am completely honest, even now, that little head of discontent pops up from time to time. And yet, there is such a joy, such a, yes, peace, in letting go of those things we can’t change, or of making changes where we can, and then letting God simply restore our soul with His peace.

I love the quote above by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – after all, just let it rain. . .  I don’t know about you, but in my life I have been geared since early childhood to always be busy, to find something to do to fill the day, until finally when night comes, I can fall into bed, tired but guiltless for lying down.

As I’ve grown older, and perhaps a little wiser, I’ve come to realize that all the busyness, all that striving to do and be more, is not at all what God intended in my life. He wants, needs, to have time with me. And He wants me (us) to enjoy spending time with Him.

How we do that may vary, Some spend time with the Lord in their musical pursuits; I recently listened to a song by Andrea Crouch where he sang of the Lord’s goodness in a lovely old song he wrote many years ago entitled, Through It All. Andrea shared his testimony of how he came to know the Lord in a deeper and richer way after a period of great sorrow and loss of relationship with Him.

Others may spend time with the Lord in their writing, or their painting, their sewing, their gardening, or simply in being who they are. To me, it seems the greatest gift of all is simply to sit in silence in a quiet place, letting the presence of the Holy Spirit surround me. Some days, I literally crave time alone with Him.

And so, all of our hard work, all of our doing and making things happen, while perhaps important in the broader scope of life, often do little to bring us to the point of deep contentment that we crave.

I am grateful that as I turn to Him, as I put my hope and my trust in what He wants for my life, I find more and more that I am content just to be with Him.

Being alone with my Lord, at peace with my life, is the deepest form of contentment for me.