Sitting my reading chair in the lady den watching the birds on their feeders, eating the last remnants of Chex mix leftovers from my grandson’s Eagle Scout ceremony, wondering about buying some snow snacks. I need some boiled peanuts, some chips and dip, and some black rind hoop cheese and crackers to survive the up coming four inch snow forecast. Forget the milk and bread I just gotta get some chewing gum and Hershey candy bars. Just wondering should I risk a quick trip, without brake lights on my car, to the Dollar General for snacks. Guess I better man up, stay home, and save my last bag of chips and my last bags of microwave popcorn for Tuesday’s snowfall. Course I do need some laundry detergent… Don’t stroke, I’ll be mature and stay home!

The Daila Lama said, “The purpose of life is happiness.” We all want happiness but I think the key to happiness might be contentment and peace of mind. Biblical scripture says our ultimate purpose in life is to glorify God. Romans 8:28 reads, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

We glorify God through our words and actions towards others. Our Christianity teaches us that God is in control. He knows the path our life will take and he does his best to guide us down his path. Sometimes we struggle and don’t understand the way he’s guiding us. I know I’ve stepped off the chosen path many times but through prayer I eventually realize God knows best. He forgives my transgressions and takes my hand, leading me back to his path.

My friend wrote these words describing her feelings of contentment on her life’s journey. “Life is a beautiful journey, and the journey can be more important than the destination. Joy and happiness are to be enjoyed when they come along the way, but neither are sustainable. So, the goal should always be contentment which makes the journey so much more enjoyable.” I hope she can always be content on her journey.

Philippians 4:11-12 reads, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live with abundance.” I think God is our key to being content with our current journeys. God wants us to experience the joy of our faith. He wants us to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks for our many blessings. He wants us to live by faith so we can live with him in heaven. We can receive inner peace by accepting God into our hearts. We can achieve inner peace by being compassionate to others, treating all with kindness. Through our prayers we can lay our burdens down, no matter how light or how heavy, in God’s hands and on his shoulders. He will lovingly carry them, taking the weight off our shoulders, giving us peace of mind.

Some people are always in a restless pursuit of happiness when they’re surrounded by it. We don’t know what the future holds but we have God’s hope for tomorrow that brings us peace. Happiness is superficial compared to living eternal life through our faith in Jesus. Scripture reminds us that true happiness comes from our faith and love for God. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart,” Psalm 37:4.

Matthew 22:36-40 reads, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Trusting in God will bring us peace and contentment. Ultimately our purpose on this beautiful planet Earth is to love God, to be a witness of God‘s love, leading others to him and his eternal kingdom.

“There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy. True humility is contentment.” — Buddha