The Secret to Finding Contentment in Christ
When we have contentment, we have peace | Photo Credit: Reggie Pankova
Seele Contributor Hazzy Redgard recently spent a week in Spain, attending a Christian conference. Sharing her incredible, soul-filling week, she shares her experience
The conference was consumed with incredible sermons and men and women preaching from all over the world. There was constant fellowship, incredible food, gospel choirs… But my highlight of the conference was my personal times with God. I have special time with God every day, but this week was special because I repented. I have to confess that, before the conference, I hadn’t been seeking God with all my heart like the Bible clearly tells us to (Psalm 119:1-2, Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29 I needed to be spiritual throughout the conference so I went after God with 100% of my heart.
Flash of lightning | Photo Credit: Hazzy Redgard
I went for prayer walks on the beach, prayed on cliffs, prayed on rocks... I found it so easy to pray and connect to God by the ocean. I was waking up between 5-7am each day and going out to pray to the Lord for an hour. Spain was stormy but it didn’t discourage me in the slightest. The wind was relentless and sometimes I could barely stay on my feet. The ocean roared and rumbled, the waves crashed and broke ferociously, and I was reminded by God’s almighty power. I’m extremely inspired by the ocean – I love being around water – and as I praised God, I compared Him to the ocean. The water can be incredibly still, calm, picturesque and relaxing and it reminds me of Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God”. However, the severity of the weather and intensity of the ocean reminded me that we need to fear God and tremble in His presence (Proverbs 19:23, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Nahum 1:2-6). God is our refuge, safe-haven, protector, stronghold. God is the all loving Father, but He is also a triumphant warrior who strikes down His enemies.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Photograph I took whilst praying on the beach | Photo Credit: Hazzy Redgard
View from my prayer spot early in the morning | Photo Credit: Hazzy Redgard
An important lesson I learnt is to be content with God. Paul learnt to be content. There is a secret to being content in any and every situation, and the secret is Jesus – being content in Jesus. Jesus must be enough for you. To learn the lesson of being content, you have to go through some pretty challenging stuff and decide to be content in the Lord; contentment is a decision, it’s a secret that you have to learn. Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church in Phillipi yet he was content. What’s your excuse for not being content in God?
The truth is, you don’t need any more than you have right now to be content, just a deeper relationship with Jesus. Many times, I’ve thought to myself that if I achieved certain things or got what I wanted that I would be content, but the reality is that if you’re not content in your relationship with God then nothing will ever make you happy. You can achieve everything you ever wanted in life, but if you’re not content in the Lord now, you won’t be content then.
I’ve found that I’m content with God, no matter what, when I bring all my worries to Him. When I pray deeply about the things in my heart, I literally give my problems to God and prayer allows me to see my problems from God’s point of view. It’s beautiful to pray about something or someone until you shed tears because when you are weak, God strengthens you (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) and He is close to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18). Crying to God and feeling His comfort builds intimacy. When you have close, intimate times with God on a regular basis, you realise how huge God is, and how small you and your problems are, and that all you need is Him.
Wind blowing as I read my Bible on the rocks | Photo Credit: Hazzy Redgard
If you’re not sure how to build this close relationship with God and need help, reach out to me on Instagram hazzyredgard or email me 1hazzyr@googlemail.com either for questions you want answered or a personal Bible study.