I don't have it because I don't have it.

I don't have it because I don't have it.
Lessons from a 3-year old (part 2): 

We got rid of Woody. Somehow we left his boots behind when we  got rid of him. He was beaten up pretty bad and no one played with him anymore and, because we were determined to de-clutter our kids' rooms, we got rid of him. He's probably on a conveyor belt headed to what he and Rex mistakenly take for sunlight just waiting for Lotso to press the stop button. (Confused? Click Here)

The other day our 3-year-old found Woody's boot. In a moment of clarity, in a serious, calm voice she says:

"I don't have Woody because I don't have Woody."

Nothing truer has been said. She, in fact, did not have Woody because she did not have Woody. 

My wife and I were talking about it the other day. It struck us as funny how she said it, but interesting that so many of us adults don't realize this simple truth. 

"12 Months Same As Cash" "No interest until 2014" "6 easy payments" "Check Into Cash" "Buy Now Pay Later" These are the arenas this plays out in adulthood. My daughter understood that she didn't have something because it wasn't there. We, on the other hand, believe that it doesn't matter if we have something. All that matters is that we want it and we will find a method of getting it, no matter the costs. We will walk into 18% or more interest. We reconsolidate, we borrow what we cannot afford to buy things we don't need, and we find ourselves in financial stress when there is more month at the end of the money.

All this because we don't understand what my three year old understands**, "I don't have it because I don't have it." 

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

What would it look like for you and I to be content? Not that we don't better. Not that we want our marriage to stay the same or to be stuck in a dead-end job; nor is it to say that we are happy with our kids falling away from the faith we raised them in or that our health is failing. Contentment is not the same as happiness. 

Contentment is a state of satisfaction. Finding contentment in your relationship with God is to say God is enough. I don't need God and anything else. I only need God. 

God is enough. How would your life look different if you actually believed this, if you actually lived it out? Would you live where you live, drive what you drive, buy the things you buy? 

Contentment may sound like hopelessness, but I find it to be the exact opposite. When my contentment is in God alone, you find new hope for your marriage, new motivation in your work, a new sense of urgency with the message of Christ, you will find everything you need for this life.

God is enough. Let us make that our motto.


**Full disclosure: our 3-year-old daughter does not always understand this principle. She frequently expresses her outrage that she cannot have the things she wants in the time frame in which she wants them. Spend a couple days with us and you will see clearly that this principle is still being learned, much like it is for myself.