God’s Big Secret

It’s audio devo day!

Do you wish you had more peace and contentment in your life? They are within reach, and this episode talks about how. God has an amazing secret to share with you about this subject… May He fill you with His presence as you listen here:

(Encouraged by this? Know someone else that needs to hear this today? You can either share today’s blog link with them, or look up my Feeding on Jesus podcast for sharing and subscribing. You’ll find it at these links on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and most other podcast platforms, with episodes identical to these audio devos!)

***************************************

“Of the increase of His… peace (shalom) there will be no end…” (Isa. 9:7, NKJV).

Did you know that shalom, the Hebrew word here for “peace,” holds many rich levels of meaning? Shalom includes the concepts of peace, rest, fullness, wholeness, prosperity, safety, soundness, tranquility, perfectness, welfare, harmony, completeness, health, the absence of agitation or discord… and contentment. This verse is promising that all of the above is going to be on the increase in your life as you serve Jesus! Isn’t that amazing?

Here is something to experiment with, as you take in this revelation. You can unpack this Biblical definition of peace and use it in a powerful exercise for building up your spirit. Try plugging each of those individual concepts into our verse for today and personalize it like this:

• “Of the increase of His peace in my life there will be no end…”
• “Of the increase of His rest in my life there will be no end…”
• “Of the increase of His fullness in my life there will be no end…”
• “Of the increase of His wholeness in my life there will be no end…”
• “Of the increase of His prosperity in my life there will be no end…”

You get the idea. But I especially want to focus in on the last item in the list:

• “Of the increase of His contentment in my life there will be no end…”

We need that, don’t we? We very seriously do. We need His contentment to increase within our souls. The Apostle Paul shared out of his own journey that this had become his personal reality: “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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:12b-13, NIV).

I appreciate it that he made sure to include the word “learned” in this description of his experience. I like the word “learned” because it portrays a process; a lengthy process. We are all on a learning curve when it comes to assimilating this “secret” of his. As elusive as it sometimes seems, Holy Spirit asserts emphatically here that we truly can do all things through Him who gives us strength.

When it comes to gratitude and contentment, we may be weak, but He is exceedingly strong, and He makes His own strength available to us. He will compassionately, relentlessly develop in us what is yet lacking.

Not long ago, I had a significant dream that sheds light on this matter. In it, I saw an attractive piece of wall art. In a simple rectangle, it featured the phrase, “Contending for Contentment.” When I woke up, I knew God was communicating with me something extremely important. I also understood that this message was not just for me. It’s for you, too, from His heart.

In contemplating Paul’s words, and Isaiah’s words, and my dream, this is what I believe Daddy is saying to you and me. Contentment is both a quality that Holy Spirit works into us increasingly as we surrender daily to Him… and a state of peace that we must sometimes fight to protect. There are moments when a spiritual battle must be engaged, before we pull through to that place of tranquility and rest on the inside. Using the mighty weapons of our warfare (2 Cor. 10:4), we will always triumph over interruptions to our shalom.

And so, daily, we wield the mighty sword of the Spirit. Daily, we wage the good fight of faith. As we do so, we will unfailingly experience this promised reality: Of the increase of His contentment, deep in our souls, there will be no end…

************************************************

Are you in a season where you need to contend for contentment?