Ledger of Life

     We all experience times when we just don't understand the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Despite all the hard work that we feel that we have done we find ourselves in a situation that we neither understand or feel we deserve. Your old car lets you down again just when you need it and to top it off your neighbor, who is a pain to everyone he meets, just got a brand new car. Your coworker, who never has anything good to say about the boss except when he's around, just got promoted over you. We think why me? It may even lead us to question God and wonder why he has let such happen to his faithful servant. In the book "Robinson Crusoe" you have a man alone seemingly without hope trying to make sense of what has happened to him. In his words he tries to make sense of it with a ledger as if he were an accountant.  Evil: I am cast upon a horrible, desolate island, void of all hope of recovery. Good: But I am alive; and not drowned, as all my ship’s company were. Evil: I am singled out and separated, as it were, from all the world, to be miserable. Good: But I am singled out, too, from all the ship’s crew, to be spared from death; and He that miraculously saved me from death can deliver me from this condition. Evil: I am divided from mankind—a solitaire; one banished from human society. Good: But I am not starved, and perishing on a barren place, affording no sustenance. Evil: I have no clothes to cover me. Good: But I am in a hot climate, where, if I had clothes, I could hardly wear them. Evil: I am without any defence, or means to resist any violence of man or beast. Good: But I am cast on an island where I see no wild beasts to hurt me, as I saw on the coast of Africa; and what if I had been shipwrecked there? Evil: I have no soul to speak to or relieve me. Good: But God wonderfully sent the ship in near enough to the shore, that I have got out as many necessary things as will either supply my wants or enable me to supply myself, even as long as I live. Of all the things that we confront in life one of the most difficult is trying to understand why things are like they are. How can I learn to be content and trust in God? Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content (Philippians 4:11). Paul said he had learned to be content. It's not something that we just naturally know it must be learned. I learned to ride my first bike by coasting down a hill time after bruising time until I had it. I had seen others do it. My father told me it could be done, or why would he have bought it in the first place. With these reassurances I knew it could be done. It did not mean that after I learned to ride that I never fell again, I tried new things that often meet with cuts and scrapes. So what must I learn? The scriptures point out to us two important lessons in learning contentment. First: Where do the things or items that we desire fall in the ledger of life. We have a great many wants and very few needs. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content (1Tim.6:7,8). When we understand that life on this earth is but a vapor (James) and we will take nothing with us, then many things don't seem to be so important. Food and clothes that pretty basic. Second: Remember in your greatest confusion and care you are never alone. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Heb. 13:5,6). When we understand who is always at our side than our needs tend to be smaller. It seems that we are the lest content when we are at our most abundant. When we are doing well we look around and see the many things that we would like to have, like that new car, nicer house, better job. Let our health or the health of one that we love be in jeopardy than the things that are really important come to light and our list of things we desire is dramatically reduced. Let us strive to understand what the differance is between our wants and true needs. Let us be content with the blessings that have been so bountifully bestowed upon his children and if we strive to gain anything let it be contentment. But godliness with contentment is great gain (1Tim. 6:6).