(Photo credit: Emily Rose Brookshire)
Contentment is one of the priceless virtues a woman must cultivate. As daughters preparing to be homemakers, we eagerly await the time when we can be in our own homes, and it is crucial to develop contentment right now. Without it, we will stifle our joy and tear down our homes whether we get married or not.
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“May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.”
—Psalm 144:12 (ESV)
For many daughters, discontentment is a weed we must constantly guard against. “If I could only have more time to myself…” or “Why does this disgusting job always fall to me?” and similar complaints can be frequently heard in our minds. We don’t have to be raised with the princess mindset—we naturally assert our rights and champion the way we think things ought to be; we pout when we don’t get our way. And this attitude will only get worse if we do not address it as soon as it appears.
As a pillar in the home, you carry more weight of influence on our shoulders than you realize. The attitude of “I wish I could be somewhere else, fulfilling my dreams” is a perilous atmosphere for those dwelling inside the palace. If we allow discontentment to creep into our hearts and rot from the inside out, we cast shadows of quarreling, whining, unrest, and gloom on our families, where instead there should be contentment, industry, and joy.
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” —James 4:1-3 (ESV)
These ravenous hearts of discontentment and murder did not suddenly appear, just as the contentious, griping woman of Proverbs did not. They grew out of subtle, slow-simmering attitudes of discontentment that were not dealt with in a God-honoring way.
A content heart trusts in the Lord. It is peaceful, resting in His complete sovereign plan for every detail of one’s life. It finds a fulfilling joy in the special place and situation God has ordained for each season of life.
If you are discontent in your parents’ home, know that having your own home someday will not bring you happiness and contentment. Begin to nurture the priceless virtue of contentment right now. Every situation that arises gives us a choice between complaining or contentment, bemoaning our sacrifice or glorifying God in thankfulness. Reject the impulse of the moment and choose the joy and peace that only Christ gives.
This will be a constant struggle throughout our lives. But with prayer and relying on the Lord’s strength, He will shape us into the radiant women He desires us to be.
“Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” —1 Peter 3:4 (ESV)
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Lovely and so true!
There is not a single problem that a spirit of contentment
can not soften and soothe. So important to remember.
Thank you!
Thank you! I really needed to be reminded of this!
Beautiful message for daughters, and moms, too
Good point! And a good thing to start working on while still at home, for if Lord willing you become a wife and mother, there will be much less “time for yourself” and even more “disgusting jobs” to do! But as a mother who just got through a stomach bug going through the family, with ever so many “disgusting jobs” and what seemed like no time to myself, I am thankful to read this reminder too. I must be content as well! Thank you for the universal message
Great encouragement for an important principle.
Well said Breezy! I completely agree. Sometimes we think “oh it will be different when I’m all grown up and in my own home,” but thats not true. If we are not serving our family in an honoring way that pleases the Lord right now, then we are just setting ourselves up for distruction.
Blessings,
Kristiana
This excellent reminder should help my day go better than it was about to.
Thanks!
“The priceless virtue of contentment” — love that thought. If we DISCIPLINE ourselves to be content no matter where the Lord has and to serve Him with gladness, it brings joy to everyone we are in contact with. Plus it brings great glory to our Savior. And I’m still working on this one myself…..with our household of 7 busy kids, I strive to focus on treasuring and enjoying each moment, rather than falling into the trap and waiting for the next stage.
One of my favorite verses of scripture is Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
A couple of years ago my sister-in-law embroidered a lovely little quote that now hangs in our kitchen, “Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want but the realization of how much you already have.”
Both of those combined help me to realize that I truly do have a beautiful life. God has blessed me with everything I need to fulfill my calling as a wife and mother. When I begin to feel discontent I know that feeling does not come from God but from Satan who wants me to not accomplish what God wants me to do.
This is a wonderful blogs for daughters and for the parents who raise them.
Thank you!
Blessings in Yeshua HaMashiach!
Joycelyn
Good post Breezy! You said it wonderfully. It is funny how contentment is one of the hardest things for young women to attain…
Beautifully written, Miss Breezy. Thank you for the reminder and encouragement. Even as I am cleaning the tub and vacuuming the floor I should be striving for contentment in Christ.
Blessings,
Leah
This is so great! Just today I was discussing with my fourteen year old daughter the belief that contentment comes from doing God’s will. I was trying to give her some guidance because she has to make some decisions that will impact on her future. We talked about how we will not always be free of problems or always have joy and peace, but contentment because doing what is pleasing to God brings its own blessings and graces.
Thank you for this lovely inspiration.
God Bless!
Thank you for succinctly reminding us of the importance of contentment. I’m printing this up to read to my daughters during our Discipleship time tomorrow.
Profound and wonderfully written! May many young ladies
as well as older ones take heed to this call for contentment,
in Christ alone!
Blessings,
Pam
as a guy,
I appreciate this blog. Awesome. Keep up the good work.
This is such a perfect post to share with us. I know my daughter would enjoy it and I think it would give her a better perspective. I love our home and so does she..but contentment is learned. I have learned it..but each of us has to walk this refining journey on our own. Thanks for sharing this. It’s excellent!
Donna @ Comin’ Home
This is so very true, and a lesson I didn’t learn until I did have my own home/family and found myself discontent that life wasn’t exactly how I planned. So many wasted hours filling a wooden box with handmade items and dreams, not once considering that needlework does not make a home- my heart does.
So true and full of beauty are your words and encouragement.
It is important to be content in the “Lord”. But sometimes a discontent may be a prompting from God for new adventures and goals in life…His will for us.
To be truthful, I am greatly admiring of parents who teach their daughters to be content and daughters who submit in this way; however, I think that if this is to be the way of life…then parents should actively help their daughters in finding husbands by way of opportuinities and understanding of that very godly dream of having your own husband and home that most girls dream of. I think it cruel to do otherwise….and just not realistic to think that Prince Charming is going to just arrive one day at the daughter’s home. Also, I think many of these loving parents are forgetting that God has made something beautiful of their own marraiges of two imperfect people–beautiful families….that they expect to much of prospective spouses for their own children. Our lives after all, belong to God alone.
A friend just referred me to your website. What helpful words on contentment. I had to print them to share with my daughter. I know we’ll be blessed by spending more time here.
Thanks for sharing this – this really was nice to read. I hope more of these are put on this website – a message for daughters. Even though I’m only a teenager, I still like to read all about homemaking!
I could not have said this better Thank you for your heart Unto the LORD!
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