Have I been discontent about my lot in life? Do I daily remember to thank God for my husband?
Would my friends describe me as joyful, thankful and content?
Am I willing to lay down any grievance toward my husband for the hope of a heavenly marriage?
You might be one of the women who often complains about her family’s lowly financial state and how she must “do without” because her husband “cannot support the family decently”. I know women who remain perpetually discontented because they must live with stained carpet and damaged furniture.
Some women learn to accept the poor state of their physical surroundings. They don’t want to be carnally-minded. They live only for the eternal. So they save their disapproving expressions for those times when they think it necessary to remind their husbands of how sad they are that he sits in front of the TV, plays video games, or engages in any number of carnal activities. They keep the pressure on ~ just like the Holy Spirit would do. At least, that’s their justification for doing his job so “faithfully”.
Some women get it in their minds that if the family would just move to the country, they would be happy and their children would not be getting into sinful habits. Or, if they lived closer to the church, or away from bad neighbors, or spent more time in family devotions, or any number of ifs, ands, or buts, then life would be better.
Discontentment is not a product of circumstances; it is the state of the soul.
Thankful people have a view of life that begins somewhere deep in their souls, and outside circumstances just can’t mar their joy.
Joy begins with thankfulness.
Quite our attitudes hang in the balance; by making a conscious choice, we can tip our souls into dark moods of complaining, or into thankfulness and praise. It is amazing how much your mouth controls your soul.
How can you have joy?
Practice makes perfect. Learn to enjoy life. Be thankful. Smile. When you catch yourself becoming irritated or disturbed at circumstances, stop and laugh at the little things that steal your peace. Count your blessings and learn to be appreciative. My daughter once wrote a song around the words, “Thanksgiving is good; thanks-living is better.”
Joy is honestly easy to come by, look around. Yet living a thankful and joy filled life takes practice.
Homework ~
I suggest you begin a list. I recently began a list after reading 1000 Gifts. It’s so easy to find things to find joy in and be thankful for! Open your heart, and watch your soul soar with the joy and thanksgiving God provides for us!
Using the questions I asked at the top, begin practicing finding joy in your everyday life. Even in the difficulties you can find joy!
Write a list ~ when you are discouraged read it! It will bring life again to your soul!
I’m thrilled to be a part of this giveaway and hop! Be sure to follow the links below and visit all the bloggers participating!
The Nurture My Marriage giveaway prizes.
Eeek! I wish I could win some of this loot!
Enter via the raffle-copter below. The first six entries are mandatory, if you do not complete all six, you will not be qualified. Enter as many ways as you like and good luck!
Don’t forget to link up your marriage post below as well!
Previous Posts in this Series
Introduction Once Upon A Time Mr. Right? God Hasn’t Changed His Mind A Merry Heart Change Your Game Plan
This is such a wonderful post with so much meat in it. I just cannot say enough thanks to you for posting this. I hope that it encourages everyone who reads it to be more thankful and then joyful. Stress can really make it hard to smile and think of things to be thankful for. When you/I do start being thankful despite my/your circumstances, everything starts to look a whole lot better though nothing has changed at all.
Yes, it truly will change your outlook on life! It creates beauty everywhere around you! Blessings!
Misty…what a great reminder to not let discontentment steal the joy of your marriage. I am featuring you this week at WJIM and I am glad you stopped by ot share this post. Blessings.
Aww thank you so much! 🙂 Have a blessed day! 🙂
such a great post!
Following you now! Have a great night! Stop by nichollvincent.blogspot.com and say hello! 🙂
Thanks for stoppin by! 🙂 Blessings!
I was really wary to read 1000 Gifts after all the controversy about her and whether she was spreading “heretical” teachings, but my mother in law gave it to me a few months ago and I really appreciated her message. I don’t really connect with her style (laying prostrate in a field in her apron after chasing the moonlight made me roll my eyes 🙂 ), but she definitely forces you to change how you think about things.
I waited until the “craze” was over to read it. I knew I couldn’t take the positive or the negative without making up my own mind, so I read it myself to have my own opinion. I didn’t expect to be touched and changed the way I was, but I’m so glad that I read the book! 🙂
Thanks for linking up! I love this. I, too, know a lot of people that could stand to read this and stop moaning about what they don’t have!! Falen, I love your Joy Journal idea. Must start that today!
Yes, as do I! Thankfulness versus moaning is something we all must learn to do, for we all struggle with it at times. Thanks for stoppin by!
This is really good…I feel challenged and inspired…and what an amazing giveaway!
Thank you!
Yes, it is challenging and inspiring! Thanks for stoppin by! 🙂
So true that discontentment is a soul issue. We will always find more things to want. I’ve been wanting to read 1000 Gifts. I need to check the library for a copy.
It is a really good book. I was skeptical at first, but it truly changes how you view things and think. I wasn’t part of the “craze”, I read it after that had worn off. I wanted to have my own opinion not someone else’s. So I had to read it to myself to do so. 🙂 I hope you find it! 🙂
I created a Joy Journal for daily use (although every day isn’t successful). It is to write down 3-5 things I’m thankful for in a given day. Those days I’m feeling down and am blinded to blessing, I have a log book full of blessed entries. 🙂
Awesome Giveaway! Thanks for hosting the Link Up too! Have a wonderful week!!
That is awesome Falen! 🙂 Remembering is so easy to do, just a few moments and you’ll have several things to be thankful for! 🙂 Thanks for stoppin by!