Generous While Lacking
“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
(2 Corinthians 9:8, NLT)
I wrestle with what to share today. My thoughts are skewed. My emotions are varied. While I wish for some special wisdom for today, I am left feeling like a broken record.
What do we do with yesterday’s announcement that our current health order will remain in place until January 8th? That means even through Christmas and New Year’s, we are limited in what we can do and who we can be with.
Submission to these health orders does not come easy as they infringe upon our plans and hopes and preferences. But, are we able to see opportunity in them? We have to think hard. We have to be extra creative. In what unique way can God build us as a family during this time? Are we open to it? In what new way can we serve our neighbour, colleague, or government leader during this time? Will we step out of our comfort zone to serve those around us?
Complaining about circumstances has come easily for me as of late. This has made me edgy (particularly at home). And, yet, I often call others to contentment and trust. In considering this, I was drawn to Philippians 4.11 (learning to be content in all circumstances), but it is 2 Corinthians 9.8 that is particularly challenging (to be generous from within our contentment).
Let us not only strive for Godly contentment within today’s limitations, but let us also focus on the generous gift of Christ (both in His birth and His death) as He gave up divine privilege in order to serve us in the most complete of ways.