Moments of Contentment

"I have learned to be content in whatever state I am!"  

Philipians 4:11

When stressful situations attempt to rob us of our peace, we need to ask the Lord to renew His presence within us.  This prayer by Louis Bromfield seems to  have been written for just those times:

     "Oh, Lord, I thank You for the privilege and gift of living in a world filled with beauty and excitement and variety.

     Thank You for the gift of loving and being loved, for the friendliness and understanding and beauty of the animals on the farm and in the forest and marshes, for the green of the trees, the sound of a waterfall, the darting beauty of the trout in the brook. 

    Thank you for the delights of music and children, of other men's thoughts and conversation and their books to read by the fireside or in bed with the rain falling on the roof or the snow blowing past outside the window."

You may not be in a place where you have great beauty around you, but you can close your eyes and imagine yourself in such a place.  Make that secret chamber of your heart your place of prayer, your place to experience contentment!