Finding Contentment: 5-Day Devotional for CoachesSample

Start with Praise and Gratitude

Everybody is facing some battles. Some battles are internal and others are external. While some of these battles are a direct result of our choices, other battles are because of others’ choices, or unexplainable events. So we don’t always get to choose our battles. But we do get to choose how we will respond. 

One of the most common responses to our battles is jealousy—or even envy. Jealousy is wanting what others have. Envy is wanting others to not have what they have, or it is resenting their gifts. 

Jealousy and envy seem even more rampant with the rise of social media. What’s missing in our lives? Admiration. Admiration is when we rejoice in the gifts of someone else. What if we started to spend our time not being jealous or envious of others’ talents but admiring those gifts instead? What if we started to live a life of admiration? We might start to win some of those inner battles. 

In Philippians 4, Saint Paul talks about how to handle some of the anxiety in our lives. The solution is praise, petition, and thanksgiving to God. Praise is telling God what we love about Him. Petition is asking God for something. Thanksgiving is telling God how grateful you are for what He has done for you. Which of these comes most often to you? 

In my life, I know it’s easier to ask God for something or thank Him for the things He has done for me. I know I need to praise Him more often. One of the best ways of doing that is reading scripture and asking ourselves the question, “What is this telling me about God?” Instead of looking for answers to our own battles, let’s just sit in wonder and admiration of God.