Philippians 4:11

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I found this on my Facebook news feed a few days ago. This has been very inspiring for me. Let me share it here.

Two teardrops were floating down the river of life. One teardrop asked the other, "who are you?" The second teardrop replied, "I am a teardrop from a girl who loved a man and lost him. And who are you?" The first teardrop replied, "I am a teardrop from the girl who got him."

We cry over what we don't have, not realizing we might have cried twice as hard had we gotten it. Unlike apostle Paul, he was thankful for what he had and not sorry about what he didn't have.

People who are contented live with a flexible cup; it expands or contracts to fit what God has supplied.

My friend then quoted Philippians 4:11New International Version (NIV)

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Sharing this nice story to my friends, I asked them: does it mean if we are contented we should not want to achieve more than what we have even if we know we have the ability to reach for it?

Today, the answer was revealed to me through a quote:

"To be content does not mean you do not desire more. It means that you're thankful for what you have and patient for what's to come."

Flashback to a gazillion months ago, I was crying because I lost something very dear to me. I fought hard for it to stay and be near however all the effort became hopeless. I now realize, if I fought for it so hard and had won the war, I could have cried more from exhaustion or from other external factors that may come. Finally, I accepted that maybe it was not for me.

This story got me to reflect that sometimes we look or focus more on what has been taken away from us or what we do not have. Instead, we must be thankful of what we still have and hoping for the best to come.

Today, I want to instill in myself to be contented with whatever I have in whatever circumstances. I plan to make it a habit to thank God for giving me what I need and what I have and on the other hand, to thank Him for what I do not have. 

Like everybody else, I am praying for something that I want. But I try to remember that sometimes not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Or maybe, just maybe, God is asking me to be more patient and hopeful to wait for His perfect timing. For now, I will live with a flexible cup :)