I WANT IT ALL

Wrestling in Prayer

image Courtesy Photobucket

Many years age I saw a cartoon depicting a man in prayer. You could see he was wrestling with what to say and how to say it. You see he was one of those who thought, if he expected to get his prayer answered he had to butter up GOD a little and impress Him with a thoughtful collection of words.

As he struggled to find just the right expressions, he finally gave up and just blurted out “I want it all”. I suppose most of us would agree with that prayer.

We want it all!

The problem is we run head on into some scriptures that indicate that we should be satisfied with “less than all”.

1Timothy 6:8 As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied.

Proverbs 30:8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Philippians 4:11  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Sometimes it is well to check out the words of others concerning contentment for we should have no goals that doesn’t espouse contentment.

Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get. - Spanish Proverb

What makes us discontented with our condition is the absurdly exaggerated idea we have of the happiness of others. - French Proverb

Happy the man who can endure the highest and the lowest fortune. He, who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity, has deprived misfortune of its power. - Seneca

Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty. – Socrates

You can't have everything. Where would you put it? - Steven Wright

Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and a happy purchase. - John Balguy

It is a wise man that does know the contented man is never poor, whilst the discontented man is never rich. Frank Herbert

Strive to only have that which brings with it “Contentment”.