Whirlwind.
That single word best describes my summer. It has felt like being tossed around by a wind that never lets you catch your breath. I can hardly believe two months have passed since my last post, that creating recipes in the kitchen feels like a lifetime ago, or that summer slipped away without a chance to enjoy it. Sometimes life just spins that way — a relentless whirlwind. For me, this season has stretched far beyond a few months; it has been a three-year journey of broken hearts, declining health, and, most recently, a broken home.
I would gladly trade these trials for a seemingly easy, ordinary life. Yet I also believe pain contains purposes and lessons. My husband and I have endured some of the hardest months of our lives and the temptation to give up has felt real. Still, we rest in the truth that God is faithful and refines us through hardship. Although contentment has often felt distant, I am slowly learning contentment while navigating chronic illness.
Rather than keep this growth private, I want to share what I’ve learned. If you are facing mold toxicity, Lyme disease, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, or simply a whirlwind season, I hope this reflection offers a fresh perspective. Over this difficult period, I discovered that my contentment hinges on three “Cs”: comparison, circumstances, and Christ. Here’s how each one shapes contentment and what has helped me move forward.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
— Philippians 4:11–13
It’s not accidental that I committed to memorizing Philippians this year. It is a book full of encouragement and hope, and this passage particularly resonated because I have lived through extremes:
- From pregnancy to the loss of a baby
- From robust health to chronic illness
- From regular exercise to struggling to move
- From building a comfortable home to ripping it apart for remediation
- From making future plans to taking life day by day
Think about your own “from…to…” list. Reading mine made me ashamed that I rarely felt content in any season, even in the good moments. Often I was focused on the next thing or consumed by suffering, and that robbed me of gratitude. It makes sense: when we let comparison and circumstances hold more power over our hearts than our faith, contentment slips away.
Comparison and Contentment
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty….”
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” and it is also the thief of contentment. Our culture, amplified by social media, fuels constant comparison. Photos and updates often show others’ best moments while we feel our worst, which can intensify feelings of inadequacy and discontent. I’ve had many moments wishing I could trade lives with someone else. Even outside crisis seasons, comparing our looks, achievements, or situations breeds jealousy and sadness.
How do we respond? First, remember that everyone experiences highs and lows. Paul, who wrote Philippians, knew both lack and abundance, and that perspective breeds compassion. When we pray for others and cultivate empathy, we move from comparing to celebrating or carrying burdens together. Second, gain security in your identity and purpose—when you know your calling, you have less reason to envy someone else’s path. Finally, practical boundaries help: taking social media breaks protects your mind from constant comparison and creates space to cultivate gratitude.
Circumstances and Contentment
“…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want…”
Circumstances can change in an instant. Paul survived shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, and persecution. If his contentment depended on his circumstances, he would have been miserable. I used to hinge my satisfaction on health, home, finances, and plans. Then mold toxicity, Lyme disease, and other autoimmune challenges upended everything: health declined, our home became unsafe and required remediation, finances tightened, and plans for family felt uncertain.
Instead of clinging to what I expected life to be, I’ve had to accept the present reality and learn from it. Note the word “learned” in Paul’s verse — contentment is a process gained through experience. Each trial can refine perspective, deepen gratitude, and nurture maturity. Practically, counting blessings and intentionally giving thanks in hard seasons helps counter the instinct to let the negative dominate our view.
The secret Paul mentions is rooted in Christ — the true source of contentment.
Christ and Contentment
“…I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
When Christ becomes the center of our contentment, we can find stability regardless of circumstances. The promise is clear: we can learn contentment not by our own strength but through the One who gives strength. That truth frees us from depending solely on health, possessions, or plans.
This doesn’t mean we stop asking God for healing or help. It means we trust God even when life is confusing and painful. Personally, I still have dark days and moments when I beg for a different life or wonder why healing feels delayed. But more and more, I notice a shift toward trusting God’s purposes and finding peace in surrender. Contentment doesn’t erase the struggle, but it steadies the heart amid it.
In closing, I find comfort in the reminder that because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow—and that shapes how we pursue contentment. Learning contentment while living with chronic illness is a journey, not an instant fix. It grows as we resist comparison, accept changing circumstances, and root our hope in Christ.
