“…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Phillipains 4:11
Humdrum, lacking variety or excitement. Ugh!
Several months back, before the weather became “super cold” for us here in Georgia, this planter was beautifully filled with vibrant, colorful flowers and foliage. When I left the office on Tuesday afternoon, I admired them before I made my way down the sidewalk to leave. The next day, the same planter had turned into a shriveled bunch of ugliness. I was absolutely shocked! In a little over twenty-four hours the beauty was replaced with a mess of hopelessness. I suppose the unexpected cold snap overnight had done a number on them.
So, the leftovers of what had once been described as beautiful were plucked up and properly disposed of, then replaced with artificial, easy-to-care-for poinsettias which always survive in the month of December. Then the first week of January, the poinsettias were taken up and put into storage to wait for this coming winter.
And. It. Sat. Bare.
Life happened.
And the planter still sat bare.
Busyness. Sickness. Also, a myriad of other factors of this season left this pot bare for what seemed like forever. Every time I walked past the planter during these times, it seemed to whisper quietly to me saying, “I need some attention. Please help.”
You guessed it. Something always kept coming up and it continued to sit there waiting.
Humdrum.
My question to us today is, “What do we do when we face the humdrum of life?” How do we successfully maneuver through the humdrum seasons in our lives? You know, those times when everything seems to be going on without us, or perhaps those times when we’re just carried away, whether or not we want to be, by the ebb and flow of everyday life. There’s nothing exciting going on, nothing to “write home” about; all we see is nothingness where there should be something. At least we desire for there to be something there.
What do we do when we’re in a season of barrenness? How do we handle those times when we’re not producing anything spectacular? When it requires everything within us to muster up the courage to “look” for a sprig of life to sprout. You know, winter is often like that. We long for better days filled with more sunshine and pretty flowers.
This verse about being content has captured my thoughts quite often lately. When I think of the word content, I think of being complete, wanting nothing. Being okay with everything in my life just as it is at this moment. The apostle said he had learned to be content — and he meant completely satisfied with wherever God had him at the moment…because he had God, not because his circumstances were ideal. Even if life felt “humdrum” for him, he had learned to be content.
Uh, excuse me! That’s a tall order, isn’t it? I try to match this mighty apostle’s tenacity and okay-ness in my humdrum moments and I have to remind myself that he LEARNED to be content — and I’ve got a mighty many lessons left to cover in my textbook, thank you. I’m so glad the Lord is a patient teacher!
I don’t know about you, but I like - and prefer - life to be gazed upon with awe and beauty, not shriveled up nothingness. I like a little variation and excitement at times — not too much, but just the “right percentage” keeps me going happy and strong. What do I do on the days when all is quiet and still, all there is to hear is the hum of the dishwasher or washing machine in the background, there’s nothing else requiring or wanting my attention - and I’m bored? While it might sound appealing when you consider your own days of noise and clutter, this is my season and I’m having to learn to adjust and be content in it.
I suppose I have to learn to see the beauty of this moment because it’s right where God has me planted right now. There are no exceptionally beautiful “flowers” to admire and I do sort of feel like life has shriveled down to a bare planter status. Again, you might thankfully welcome this moment if it were in your own life. But, what about where God has you currently? Are you content? Are you learning to be so?
The humdrum of life can be quiet and slow, or filled to the brim with busyness. Are we truly content? Is this place, with God, enough for us? Is that enough to satisfy? Just a thought to share today.
Life offers each of us different views at times. Currently, this planter is filled with a beautiful display once again and it looks “right.” In your world, there may be lovely flowers on display or merely a space of nothingness currently. Whether we’re displaying pure beauty or just a planter filled with boring (humdrum) dirt waiting for an ounce of change…
may we learn to be content right where God has us simply because He is with us.
When we master, and graduate, from this class teaching contentment, nothing about our circumstances will matter; but knowing God has us right where we’re supposed to be for this time - and that He is with us - will make all the difference in our perspectives. Then, my sweet friend, that will be anything but humdrum!
Be blessed today, right where God has you~
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