The Secret to Fix this Mess of Me

This life is messed up. If you don’t know this, either you have been extremely blessed, or you or extremely ignorant. Since the fall of man, when Adam and Eve both disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man and woman have been forced to toil about the earth until we die and either go to spend eternity with Jesus, or we go to the bad place…and spend eternity separated from Him. But until we reach that blessed point, we are stuck on this planet earth. Some ask, what is our purpose? Why are we here? How did we get here?
The latter question is simple. I for one do not believe that I came from an ape. I do not believe I came out of nothing either, therefore I am forced to think on this logically. Human existence, the stars, DNA, the distance of the earth from the sun, the brain…are just a few things that make me realize that my existence is not by chance. I was designed by a creator.
Sometimes I think that only an incredibly loving and forgiving God would create such a mess as me. But the truth is, He didn’t make a mess of me, I did. My stubbornness, my pride, my quick temper, my selfishness, and all in all, my sinful nature, have gotten me into many different pits of trouble, each one varying in depth. I find myself discontent and discouraged.
The other day I read Philippians 4. In verse 11, Paul says he has learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. I read that and said “wow”…Whatever the circumstances? Like, I’m being eaten by a shark, but man, I’m still content. That kind of circumstances? I read on. Paul says he knows how it is to be in need, to have plenty, to be well fed, or to be hungry. He says he has learned the secret to being content in any and every situation he is in. I gasp. There is a secret. I must know it. The next verse said, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
I realized then what it was; it was the typical Sunday school answer. The secret is Jesus. No matter how repetitive or stupid or religious it sounds, it is powerful. Only the Lord can give me the strength to be content in this messed up life. I pray that He will give me strength. I pray through the hard times and the good. Give me strength Lord to be content whatever the circumstances may be. Help me be a light to this messed up world. Give me the strength to fix this mess of me. I can only succeed with your help, for I can do everything through you.