Take Me To The Happy Place Series

LIFE IS AN ATTITUDE – PICK A GOOD ONE

Take Me To The Happy Place

Sunday February 11, 2007

Scripture Reference: Romans 12:2, 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Intro.

A. How many of you have heard that express, “Take Me To The Happy Place”? Who can tell me what it means? Can you give me one word that would sum up the feelings we have about our so called “Happy Place”? I think that the one word that would properly describe this place in our lives is “Contentment”. I think most of us would agree that the “happy place” is not necessarily the perfect place. It’s not the place where there are absolutely no problems whatsoever, but it is the place where those problems do not over whelm us. It is the place where there is still work to be done but not so much work that it feels like work is all we do. It’s not the place where we are “Rolling in the dough” but it is the place where there is enough money for the bills and even some money for the niceties. It’s the place where there is time. Time to go for a walk, time to just sit on the porch and read a book, time to actually play catch with your son or dress up with your daughter.

1. Its contentment. It’s not about being rich. It’s not about having a bigger house or newer car. It’s not about achieving status or position; it’s about being satisfied, about being able to say “I have all that I need.” What do you really want out of life? Do you really want to have those millions of dollars from the lottery? Do you really want that home on the hill or in my case on the beach? Do you really want that supervisor job at work, or to be the club president? Or do you just want to be able to say, “life is great just as it is.” Now I am not talking about being complacent or about being stuck in a rut. I am talking about being content.

Trans. Let’s do what we have done with each of these messages so far and that is to define the attitude we are talking about. So let’s define as best we can what contentment is.

I. WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?

First of all I believe that contentment is being satisfied with God’s provisions.

A. Contentment Is Being Satisfied With God’s Provisions.

1. Here is a wonderful prayer I think all of us ought to memorize or keep in front of us in some way. It comes from King Solomon whom some have said is the wisest man to ever live. Here is what he said in Proverbs 30:7-9 NLT O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name. This is an interesting prayer especially if you know anything about the life of Solomon because not only was he considered the wisest man to ever live he was also considered the richest man to ever live. He had it all so to speak and yet his last words were, “Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. Do you believe that God provides for you? You might not think so even within the church the way most of us work and toil and spend. Let me remind you of the words of Jesus in the sermon on the Mount Matthew 6:25-32 NIV "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.