Choose a Contented Heart

By Anita Pearce

Choose a Contented Heart will challenge you to apply principles which produce profound peace and satisfaction from His life within you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Word Alive Press
• Release date: Jan 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781486614172

Book preview

Endnotes

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I have been exceptionally blessed to have a wonderful group of friends and colleagues who have willingly assisted and encouraged me. Their participation, advice, and perception are an inspiration and motivation to me. I would like to express particular appreciation to:

The Board of Inspiration Ministries, a delightful group of my dearest friends. Your wise counsel, personal care, and camaraderie are a source of tremendous encouragement. I am continually inspired by your wisdom, support, and ministry vision.

Leanne Simpson, who typed the original thoughts from the recorded sermon, giving me the impetus to get the book started. Your cheerful, calm dependability is greatly valued.

Darlene Kienle, who read my first attempts and encouraged me to share this important and necessary message. Your faithful friendship and integrity have been a comfort beyond words.

Alice Dutcyvich, who for hours graciously reviewed and corrected the document. Your patience, thoroughness, and encouragement have taught me invaluable lessons to improve my written communication. Your example has challenged me to pursue excellence in every area of life. I am deeply grateful for your assistance and friendship.

Doreen Holdsworth, who proofread, assessed, and tweaked the manuscript. Your professional expertise, creativity, and remarkable perception are amazing. Thank you for sharing your gifted editorial skills and indispensable recommendations.

Marguerite Mitchell, who took time to read through the pages with me and discover necessary corrections. Your longtime friendship has been precious.

The Word Alive publishing team, who have worked through the process to complete this project. I am deeply grateful for your advice and improvements. It has been an honor to work with you.

INTRODUCTION

She was a down-to-earth country housewife who excelled at generosity. Her home was a somewhat rundown farmhouse which she kept clean—and warm with hospitality. She, together with her ailing husband, continued to work their small farm, making a comfortable but certainly not extravagant living.

Her door was open to those in need, her table always big enough for one more plate. Over the years, in spite of limited income, she cared for several needy people including three children besides her own, an elderly neighbor, and two senior family members.

I often marveled at her capacity for contentment. In her youth she had understood poverty but accepted the lean years with grace. With food on the table, a roof that didn’t leak, and an old cat for company, both she and her husband expressed gratefulness for every blessing.

And, being a good cook, she could make meagre rations stretch a long way. After a simple meal of on-sale hamburger, she once confided, What more could a person want!

* * *

The restless ache of disillusioned gratification consumes our materialistic and self-centered society. Drinking from polluted wells of ambition, pride, and financial wealth has failed to fulfill the innermost cravings of the human heart.

Our ability to regard our circumstances, capacities, and possessions with contentment is a tremendous triumph. Although situations may be less than ideal in spite of our best efforts, it is possible to find inner resources of peace and happiness that enable us to be satisfied.

As we walk toward this goal, there are solutions that lead us to the source of contentment and enhance the pathway. When we recognize obstacles that hinder us, we can take constructive action to change.

It is possible to experience contentment regardless of our environment. We are all on the journey, daily discovering the release and freedom of choosing a contented heart.

CHAPTER ONE: REALIZING FUTILITY

Content makes poor men rich;

discontentment makes rich men poor.1

—Benjamin Franklin

Mankind, by the perverse depravity of their nature, esteem that which they have most desired as of no value the moment it is possessed, and torment themselves with fruitless wishes for that which is beyond their reach.2

—Francois Fenelon

Eve had it made. Together with her husband, Adam, they lived in a perfect home made by God, uncontaminated by sin. As the first woman, she had everything in the world, including all the gold, silver, and diamonds. True, they weren’t yet discovered but she would have had first dibs when they were available.

She didn’t have to wash dishes. They plucked their food from a bountiful garden—with no weeds! There was no laundry and no mending. The whole fig leaf episode (which happened later) was a brand new experience for her. She had all a woman could desire—with perhaps the exception of shopping opportunities!

Not only did she enjoy the beauty of this garden home, the earth, and relationship with God, she also had the only man in the world. Although there wasn’t much choice, at least there was no competition! If he complained or became irritated with her, she could retort, Look where I came from!

She had the world and everything in it—except one thing. She did not have the right to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In Genesis 2:16–17 we