The Joneses are Overrated Giveaway
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NOTE: It is not too late to join over 8,000 women who have now signed up for Proverbs 31 Ministries” Melissa Taylor’s online Bible study of my new book LET. IT. GO. How to Stop Running the Show & Start Walking in Faith.
Sign up here.
Get started by reading LET.IT.GO.Free.Chapter until you can get the book.
Check out the optional conference calls by Jill Savage, Sharon Glasgow, Candace Cameron Bure and me here.
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Welcome to those of you who found your way here after reading my Proverbs 31 devotion tody. If you haven’t read it click here to do so and catch up with the rest of us. :)
Today, let’s chat.
Do you struggle with contentment? With keeping up with the Joneses?
Is this something new or have you done this since high school?
Do you think social media like Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest make this harder when you see what others are doing, buying, making or thinking?
Have you ever had to go on a media fast to realign your contentment?
Any tips for gaining contentment that you’ve learned along the way?
How about any guidelines you put in place for your online viewing habits?
What do you think of this statement: discontentment comes from counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own?
Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section. We’ll tackle this topic together today.
Also, one person will be chosen to win this giveaway.
It includes:
~ A copy of LET. IT. GO. (signed to increase the worth at your garage sale someday!)
~ A pink and brown softcover, compact, but large print Bible in the Holman Christian Standard version.
~ A bright, funky journal–you can use it to count your blessings.
~ An index card binder system, to use to record and memorize verses to help you keep your perspective.
~ A bag of cinnamon coffee–just for fun!
Okay—let’s chat. What are your answers to any of the questions above or any other thoughts you have?
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NOTE: the winner of the free conference call on how to write a bang-up book proposal is: CassandraS Send your email address to [email protected] so we can get you signed up for the call. If any of the rest of you who did not win want to sign up for the call, the information is found here.
Would love to win!
I constantly read “eyes on Jesus” or foucs on Him to counteract discontentment, but what does that really mean? What does that look like, sound like? Just spending time with him? Karen, would you address this in your blog sometime?
My struggles with contentment center mostly around time…my job requires an incredible amount of my time and energy. While I try to always be thankful I have a job, I have excessive envy of my friends who either don’t work or who work less demanding jobs. My dream it’s to have time to devote to volunteering, devotion and study of God’s Word, walking, and even cleaning and organizing my house. But at the same time I realize how much I have to be thankful for and feel unworthy for craving something different.
I do think discontentment comes from counting other people’s blessings. I am guilty of this often – I see things others have or think that they look better than I do (I struggle with being overweight and don’t often feel good about how I look) and then I am not content. I have learned however that all is usually not as it appears on the outside. I am also learning to go to God when I feel a need to compare myself with the Joneses. He has blessed (and continues to bless) my life so very richly, I just need to remember to be grateful for my many, many blessings and not jealous of something that I perceive someone else is or may have.
Contentment is hard. All your life you imagine what it would be like to be an adult. Then you become one and wonder how you got to where you are. I did not accept Jesus into my life until after I was married and in my later 30’s. My life now is not at all what I expected. Yes, I have kids, but didn’t have them until I was older. I did not expect to move states away from my family and friends. I think we forget that God has a great plan and we shoul enjoy the ride. Easier said than done. Would love to win your book!!
I love that quote about discontentment! So true. I actually started a Facebook fast 10 days ago. I was in constant comparison mode and besides that…it just chewed up so much of my time and attention. I wanted to give my family more face time and my Bible pages needed a little more activity. I won’t lie though…it has been very challening. I find myself sitting at my computer with no where to go. Or realizing that the thing I just did or took a photo of is no longer going to be broadcast (let’s face it…most of the time I was bragging anyway…ugh..that’s a tough truth).
I saw my ex-husband and his new girlfriend a week or so ago and they were driving a brand new Caddy. At first I felt a little sad and like when am I going to have such luxuries. Then I said, “wait a minute-my car is only a couple years old but it’s paid for.” It’s not a luxury car and is small for all of us (it just forces us to stay close-lol) but it is dependable and wonderful too. I’m sure his Caddy isn’t but I chose to feel happy for them that they were enjoying life’s good things. It was the car we had dreamed of together. I’ve been praying for forgiveness and I truly am content in my life. In many areas I just don’t miss what he brought to my life. I do miss the good things I enjoyed about him (he had warm hands to hold) and I pray for him too. The Lord is truly my husband and recently provided a job in which I am challenged and blessed. I have people in my life whom I love, are consistent,and are my prayer buddies. While life isn’t easy I do feel so blessed and am thankful.
Today I am struggling with contentment. We have missed the last three sundays of church with various illnesses, we just keep passing germs around! And we only miss church if we are sick or out of town. This just feels ridiculous! I am struggling with being the mom of littles with all this illness and grumpiness that comes with it. This is where God has put me, and I am struggling to be content in it.
Oddly enough, I gave up keeping up with the cool people when we lived in Orange County CA, but there are other kinds of unrest and unhappiness in us, and it makes me sad.
Everyday there are moments where I can choose envy or I can choose contentment. I love Pinterest! But I have learned to “unfollow” boards that are all about aquiring more stuff, whether it is outfits, home furnishings, travel ideas, etc. I love to see things that challenge me to DO something, MAKE something, COOK something, BE something. Contentment for me often means remembering that those that have things I envy also have things that I would never desire. Just as there are parts of my life that I would not want to ever give up: family, friends and community, God. We are doing a sermon series on God’s provision as Jireh, and I am learning that God provides to each of us what we need.
Contentment is a lifestyle that is hard to choose. When my husband and I first got martied we had mext to no money. My friends who had chosen careers over university, had lavish weddings , owned their houses , drove 2 cars while we had 3 kids , no money but a lot of love. I struggled with jealousy, anger and resentment until I found that God can fill those empty spots in our lives :) thank you for your devotionals… My coworker ( and friend) and I often read them together and talk about them at lunch!
I have always struggled with being content until God saw fit to take almost everything away from us. Since then I have learned to be content in what ever state I am in.
I struggle more with contentment in the area of being a mother and wife. Sometimes I wish my husband worked the hours of other husbands or I kept my house like others, etc. In order to overcome this, I have to remind myself that my trials and blessings are mine. I cannot compare myself to anyone else, and I have to remind myself that God allows all of this for me, for my good. I love thinking about this and I love the Bible Study already!
I HOPE I WIN!!!!!
Now that I got that out of the way, my thoughts….I struggle with wanting MONEY! Don’t get me wrong, I am blessed! But, I am tempted to want to be like the Joneses that have plenty of extra money and take family vacations all the time! I want to be able to buy what I want for my children and not have to think about it twice. When I catch myself “dreaming”, I remind myself that this world is NOT my home and God is in control! If HE wanted me to have more money, HE is certainly capable of making it happen. (Please don’t think I use this as an excuse to do nothing – I do things to help me make money…I just don’t freak out worrying about it). Thanks for asking!
Love the journal!
I don’t think I compare myself with other people’s stuff or kids, but I do get frustrated with how it ‘appears’ to be so easy for so many to make things look nice. I’m not good at doing nails or decorating tables or putting together fancy outfits, and sometimes I feel very dowdy.
Gain contentment by taking your eyes off those irritating Jones’s and fixing them firmly on God! Those Jones’s are probably less contented than you if the truth’s known ;)
Comparison, self doubt, feelings of intimidation when I am around “successfull” women are all things I struggle with, daily, since I was young. Very young. I remember these feelings since elementary school. I have lived through some very bad times in the last few years. If I had remembered to reach toward God. And remember that He made me special, He has a purpose for me, and I need to be confident in His gift of grace and love. I would not have suffered. To see how many other women struggle with these same things breaks my heart, but will feed my prayers. I keep seeing we are all broken in some way. We all have masks. I am learning to not use a mask. To be completely real, and allow my imperfections to show. I believe that is what God wants. It makes me approachable to the other woment hurting as I have been.
God Bless, thank you so much for you devotion today.
I often feel content because our family, since our marriage, has chosen to live below our means. This does not mean that I don’t wish I have my friends’ lifestyle, but after taking Dave Ramsey’s class, I do feel consoled.
Is there ever going to be real contentment in this broken world? I think not, just contentment in knowing God has not forsaken any of us, and HE is coming back!
We may possibly not ever experience a lasting contentment, however, we can experience that peace beyond understanding (Phillipians 4:7). Yes, He is coming back!!
Just read your blog on Proverbs 31 Ministries email and had to check out your webpage. I have struggled with contentment to an extreme lately. We were probably a “Jones type family”. Married, 2 great sons, stay at home Mom and active in church. When their Dad suddenly died unexpectedly my wonderful sons turned to drugs to escape. Jail and the possibility of prison……it’s hard to find contentment when your heart is breaking. I have friends going through the same thing and its hard
Hi! I loved your devotional today thanks! I am struggling with this today actually haha God works in mysterious ways right? Ok so some relatives of mine are going out to dinner and I felt a little jealous because we had canned chicken noodle soup with bread and butter. I tried being happy for them but also wanting to be able to go out to dinner (but on a tight budget). Before I had even read this I was thinking of this same scritpure that Paul wrotes and had prayed at supper for the Lord to help us be grateful whether we have soup or steak! haha Then I just read your devotional with the Same scripture and knew God is up to something :-) I need to just “let it go” and remember God’s continual provision whether we have a little or a lot!
I love your blog. I enjoy Pinterest the most due to finding people with the same interests and sharing that same interest through pictorial postings. My creativity and interests has grown and expanded. It’s so much fun! Their blessing blesses mel. :)
I feel this is one of the main reasons we have to be transparent with each other. Christian women often try so hard to appear to have it all together, that it can be deceiving to people who are hurting. When I went through a sudden and devasting divorce, it was so hard not to feel judged at church, even though I had not done anything “wrong”. God has really used that experience in my life to show me that we need to be honest with each other, so that there is no need for comparisons. When I focus on Him, I become much more content.
Thank you, you said it well. Transparent. Great word.
I could use a media fast :-(. I often compare myself to other Mamas who are doing cool things and wear cool clothes and are so beautiful, and crafty, and rich,etc… :-). Thank you for this post and the reminder to find my contentment in Christ.
yes I too could use a media fast at times……it is hard we have to keep our perspectives right and aligned with Christ and remember it’s easy to throw things out there on media but only God knows if those people are being forthcoming or not and I have discovered alot of them exaggerate the truth and too there is no way all the people in our facebook Friend list are actual friends so remembering these things make it easier NOT to lose sight and be content with where God has each of us individually :)
So often I see what others have, and then I want. I think that is the biggest source of discontententment. If I stop and actually see what I have at this moment, I realize I am blessed. I have a job, a place to live, health, food, family and friends, etc..- there really isn’t a single reason why I should be discontent.
Keeping up with the Joneses changed our family’s life forever, and NOT in a good way. I can relate to Philippians 4:12 “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.” We lost everything. It needed to happen to bring my husband and I closer together and closer to God. I am currently writing a book about it. Crazy… how nothing surprises our Lord…