Hot, Hot, Hot....

Funny how your mind plays tricks with you.
Each year when summer rolls around here in Alabama, it seems to be the hottest one on record.
We swelter under the humidity and sun.
Iced tea and shade seems to be the duty of every Southerner.
Every where you go, conversations seem to dwell on the heat.
"Going to be a hot one today!"
"You could fry an egg on that sidewalk."
Seems as though the natural world has grabbed our attention and won't turn loose until the first cool snap come this October.
I think I need to have the attitude of the Apostle Paul according to what he wrote in
Philippians 4:11.
"Not that I speak in regard to need for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content."

Whatever state Paul finds himself in, he is content. Paul is talking about something other than the weather, he is talking about his life. Paul was put in prison, flogged, whipped, stoned, left for dead, drifted on the open sea when the boat sunk. He has endured things you and I could only imagine, yet in everything that has happened to Paul, he learned to be content. What was his secret? I think if I wrote something down, it would be conjecture on my part. I wish not to guess about Paul.
I do know this though, Jesus is a stability that comes to each of us when we accept Him as Lord and Savior. He is a stability in spite of whatever we find ourselves going through. In other words, He is our contentment. Our focus is to be turned from our circumstances and placed on Him.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim (get it)
in the light of His glory and grace.

Whatever state you find yourself in this morning, look to Jesus.
Read His Word.
Talk to Him.
Keep Him up front in your thoughts.
Don't make decisions based on your emotions. Find His peace and ask Him to guide you in what ever you face today.
You might be surprised at the contentment you experience.........
Just like Paul.

God on you......
mb

p.s.
I used the example of the weather merely to draw our attention to the need to be content.
We all face situations and circumstances that have deeper ramifications than the weather.
Finding the place of contentment in the middle of such places affords me the ability to not make rash, hasty decisions that bring bad consequences with them.