Contentment (or the lack thereof)
Here is a reading from Amy Carmichael's Whispers of His Power that gave me much food for thought today.
"Numbers 11:5 - 'We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely - the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.'
"To think of nice things one can't have is to become discontented and grumpy. Is there something you want and can't have today? Are you tempted to grouse about it? Repeat that little string of six words to yourself quite slowly and solemnly: Fish, cucumber, melons, leeks, onions, garlic. If you haven't time for all six just say 'cucumbers,' and see what will happen. First you will laugh. Then in a flash you will remember those foolish and ungrateful people whose story you know so well. you will remember, too, how patiently God bore with them; and you will be ashamed that even for one moment you joined forces with them.
"We are all sure to be tempted by thoughts of fish, cucumbers, melons, onions, leeks, and garlic - things we would like but cannot have at present. But there is another set of six words which is as happy as the first set of six is unhappy. They were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ about His Father's will: I am content to do it. Which set of six will you take for your own? You can't have both; they won't mix. So choose."
Here is a reading from Amy Carmichael's Whispers of His Power that gave me much food for thought today.
"Numbers 11:5 - 'We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely - the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.'
"To think of nice things one can't have is to become discontented and grumpy. Is there something you want and can't have today? Are you tempted to grouse about it? Repeat that little string of six words to yourself quite slowly and solemnly: Fish, cucumber, melons, leeks, onions, garlic. If you haven't time for all six just say 'cucumbers,' and see what will happen. First you will laugh. Then in a flash you will remember those foolish and ungrateful people whose story you know so well. you will remember, too, how patiently God bore with them; and you will be ashamed that even for one moment you joined forces with them.
"We are all sure to be tempted by thoughts of fish, cucumbers, melons, onions, leeks, and garlic - things we would like but cannot have at present. But there is another set of six words which is as happy as the first set of six is unhappy. They were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ about His Father's will: I am content to do it. Which set of six will you take for your own? You can't have both; they won't mix. So choose."
posted by Violet | 2:36 PM
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