The title is true.
There are some types of blogs I simply won’t read. And it’s also true that perhaps it would be in your best interest not to read this one.
I love reading, so don’t get me wrong that I am against finding information, new ways of running my home, and encouragement to love my husband. I’m always needing motivation on how to become more organized or to keep on training my children.
But it’s also true that reading too much of certain types of blogs can breed discontentment in my life.
Discontentment in my home, in my marriage, and in my relationship with Jesus Christ.
Let me give you an example. I do not follow many homeschooling blogs. With how much I loved school as a child and teaching as an adult, I would homeschool my children in less than a heartbeat. I’d love to plan their books and personalize their curriculum to fit their specific needs.[pullquote]Discontentment is like yeast . . . if you feed it, it will grow exponentially.[/pullquote]
However, we also have an exceptional, Christian school right at our very own Mennonite church. And my husband and I have both agreed that it would be best for our children if we’d take them to our church school. In fact, Lowell is now on the school board – so we are privileged to have even more involvement in our school. We also feel it would be best for the children socially, since we live 2,000 miles away from most cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Thus, any social life they get comes from our church family.
This is the reason I only read a couple homeschooling blogs, and even then, not closely. It has the potential to breed discontentment in my heart, thus causing friction in my marriage and family.
Proverbs 4:23 says,
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
And sometimes we must take decided steps to keep our hearts with diligence.
I also don’t read some blogs because, as I’m reading, I will get a very uncomfortable feeling in my spirit. I believe if we’re grounded in God’s Word, we will have moments where the Holy Spirit will gently nudge us away from unbiblical reasoning and theology. Those blogs are better left untouched.
So why should you perhaps not read this blog?
Simple, really. Your main priority is to do as Proverbs says and keep your heart with all diligence. You will answer to God for your own heart someday.
Let me give you some more examples.
If you struggle with the silent heartache of infertility, reading this blog might cause you more heartache. Not that we wouldn’t love to have you here, but my own heart breaks to think we might be unintentionally adding to someone else’s pain. We tend to post quite a few pictures of our children, which the grandmas love to look at 2,000 miles away! But if seeing these pictures of our children causes you more pain and discontentment with the path God has chosen for you, you might consider finding a blog of someone who has walked down your path – with healing and contentment. [pullquote]If you know that it will breed discontentment in your heart with your circumstances, your marriage, your children, or your relationship with Jesus Christ – then just don’t go there.[/pullquote]
If you live in the city and have always wanted to live in the country, and seeing the pictures of country life in the mountains makes you bitter, you might want to consider reading of someone who has learned to live happily in the city – where God called them to.
If you and your husband made the decision to homeschool your children, but reading of how we send our children to our church school makes you envious, you might be better off finding one of the fantastic homeschool blogs to follow.
God has called us all to different paths of life, some harder than others. And we have to each choose how we will foster our attitudes along the path He has chosen for us. Will we feed the discontentment we have growing in our hearts, or will we choose to learn joy in our journey?
Discontentment is like yeast . . . if you feed it, it will grow exponentially.
Do you see a theme here?
You don’t have to read a certain blog post just because someone posted it on facebook. If you know that it will breed discontentment in your heart with your circumstances, your marriage, your children, or your relationship with Jesus Christ – then just don’t go there.
Now I am assuming whatever is causing discontentment is not a real sin issue in you or your husband’s life. It is good if we can study to find out if something is Biblical or not; but for the sake of this article, we are assuming it is personal decisions or life’s circumstances causing discontentment.
I’ll be honest, there was a decision that my husband and I had differing opinions on for a while. And if I’d read blogs and articles that bolstered my side of the argument, it only caused my discontentment to grow. Bitterness towards my husband’s decision and a questioning of his authority were the result of reading certain blogs.
It didn’t take long for me to realize the end result would be worse than the original disagreement. And I quit those blogs. I had to take steps to keep my heart with all diligence. And in turn, the hearts of my husband and children.
Believe me, I’m not trying to shoo anyone away from this little piece of the internet world. But I’m trying to portray the lesson I had to learn the hard way:
Keep your heart . . . that’s what you’ll take to eternity with you!
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Sandra Miller says
I agree with the sentiments shared. God bless.
Oh, btw, I am 67, if this helps any..:-)
Living in the Shoe says
So I’m still going to be fighting the discontentment then, too? 🙂 Thank you for commenting – I truly love hearing from older women. God bless.
Carolyn Miller says
So true!
Beth Cover says
So well said! We all have to fight the discontentment where it strikes us. And that will be different places for different people! But I follow you because I love you 🙂
Living In The Shoe says
Thank you, Beth! Love you too.
Rebecca Byler says
I love your perspective on this and can totally relate. It’s too tempting sometimes to think that what someone else writes about their life also applies to us…if that makes sense.
Renee says
Thank you for your post. It was very insightful, and urges me to be observant of the fruit that comes from certain posts/sites I frequent. It also encouraged me to be more diligent in fostering encouragement and godly strength, through my speech and actions, so as not to cause a sibling in Christ to stumble. Thank you, and God bless you! (By the way, I’ve been infertile, but in no way am resentful or burdened by your sharing of your motherhood; or, when others share of theirs. I find it beneficial to learn, for when I assist in babysitting or child training of some sort. It also guides me, for the day when the Lord sees fit to bless us in that way. :D)
Living in the Shoe says
Thank you so much for commenting with a perspective of someone looking on! I love how you are willing to learn – you sound like you have let the Lord cultivate a sweet spirit in you, no matter the circumstances. May God bless you!
Renee says
Thank you for your kind words. I desire the Lord to cultivate my heart, but so many times I fail! So thankful for His grace, mercy, pity, and love! Again, God bless you!
Living In The Shoe says
Totally makes sense!
Suan James Fife says
What a wonderful lesson ! I have learned this over the past few years. I have quit reading some really wonderful blogs because they make me sad or discontent. We have to make sure that what we read lifts us up in our own circumstance and is encouraging for us.
Marylou says
Loved this blog!! Very good advice. Personally, I like blogs of varying content (from my life) because it opens me up to a bigger world! That being said, there are some I eventually quit following, too.
Living in the Shoe says
Oh, I so agree! Reading in itself opens up so much of the bright, big world – especially to our children.
Kim W says
I can certainly relate. When I was experiencing difficulties in my marriage I stayed away from certain blogs just to be sure the difficulties were real and not the product of envy or discontent.
It is only now nearly a year since my husband passed away that I can read blogs like yours again, and be content knowing that my little girl and are the family the Lord is calling us to be right here and now.
I hope that if you ever read my blog you will be encouraged by what you find there, just as I have been encouraged here.
Living in the Shoe says
You most definitely are someone who can speak from experience on this subject! Thank you so much for taking the time to give us real life advice. I visited your blog and read the story of your husband’s passing. I am so sorry for your loss and all the pain in your life. May God grant you an extra measure of grace – as I’m sure He’s done thus far!
God bless you.
Betsy says
Thank you for this very wise post. I read your blog but don’t comment often. My children are all grown and live far away with our grandchildren. I sometimes read some blogs and then feel discontentment with my beautiful home and location-just as you mentioned. The Lord has blessed me with a loving husband and children, who although they live far away keep in close touch and love us. I need to constantly remind myself that those material things don’t really matter and twhen I get the “wants” it makes my husband feel as if what he has so wonderfully provided for us through his hard work isn’t enough. Thank you again.
Blessings,
Betsy
Living in the Shoe says
Isn’t it true that contentment must be learned in all stages and circumstances of life? Thank you for sharing this!