For our very survival we must learn to be content believing that God is the master of everything that has to do with us.
I'm almost 73 and I'm still a learner, still crying out for God to teach me for the pot can never be equal to the Potter, but is always dependant upon the potter's skillful hands to shape and to mold. We are truly just as much in His hands as a pot. Being content for a Christian means having the peace of God no matter how much or how little you have. No matter if everything in life is exactly right or not. Life and times are very burdensome very tiring very vexing if you do not have the peace of God in your circumstances. It's not an easy lesson to learn and likely never ends for us since we will be exposed to more situations as we live.
To be content we must really believe that God is in control of our lives and always has the best thing planned for us. We must have this settled in our hearts before we can truly give things over to Him, to pray through and leave our burdens at the altar. We must become perfected in love so that we do not fear. He that fears is not perfected in love.
1 John 4:17-19 KJVS
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [19] We love him, because he first loved us.
After God finally spoke to us that it was time to receive the son He had promised to send us after fourteen years, we decided to go through the LaMaze classes. We prayed and prayed for the extra money but it never came. We were upset with the Lord and bent out of shape that we didn't get what we had earnestly prayed for. When it came time for the birth it was a breech and had to be done Caesarian section. During the operation my wife was able to witness to the doctors and nurses about our miracle. The doctor said "so it's going to be a boy eh"?" Yes" she told them as no ultrasound was done to reveal the sex of the baby.
Afterwards one of the nurses said that she wanted a baby so much but had not been able to conceive. My wife shared Jesus with her and that she should turn to Him with her burdens and prayers.
God knew that we didn't need the LaMaze classes and that a witness for him would be made right there in that operating room with my wife wide awake and witnessing as they retrieved the son we had for so long waited. Interruptions to your plans can indeed be divine instructions.
The kingdom of God the Bible tells us is three things;
Romans 14:17 KJVS
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
When we need guidance He gives His peace and joy as indicators that we are headed right, have your right answer from Him. Read Genesis 41 about His answer of peace.
For His joy, read Ecclesiastes 5:20.
We can, must still have His peace and joy when we are still waiting on an answer of guidance. This is contentment. The righteousness He imparts to us through Jesus our savior.
Contentment;
Waiting patiently for God's answer, or provision or guidance or whatever it may be, while resting in His peace and joy is true contentment.
We all would like to change our circumstances for the better, or see them changed, but as believers some or maybe all of it must be left in God's hands. We do all we can reasonably do and then leave it with the Lord. Then we stand in faith. Like the old song take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Ephesians 6:13 (NKJV)
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Hebrews 6:15 KJVS
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Before our circumstances change it seems, we always have to go through a time of waiting, usually while enduring something not so pleasant. It's during this time we must learn to be content. It's far far better waiting for change with the peace and joy of the Lord than without it!
It's useless and very tiresome, trying to understand what's going on. So remember!
Philippians 4:7 KJVS
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJVS
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
1 Timothy 6:6-7 KJVS
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
[7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Every Christian believer must learn these things for themselves. God chooses a different set of circumstances. He's got a set for you too. And remembering the Lord Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 5:7-8 KJVS
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; [8] Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Even though Jesus never sinned He had to learn to be obedient, be content, still remaining under the tutorship of the Heavenly Father. This is an amazing scripture to us who never supposed that Jesus needed to learn anything. The common knowledge of the most in depth spiritual knowledge possessed by the disciples astounds me and makes me yearn to know the things they knew. We too must learn obedience through the things which we suffer. If we are going through something difficult and unpleasant there's more than an even chance it's a circumstance ordered up by the Heavenly Father for our training.
I spend some time considering what other saints have endured to help me look at my affliction in the right way. The Apostle Paul wrote those encouraging epistles while waiting to be executed in a cold, depressing Roman prison. Corrie Tenboom and her sister led scores if not hundreds of women to the Lord while barb wired into the confines of Ravensbruck Nazi death camp. There under the shadow of the ever smoking oven chimneys they preached the faith and hope of Jesus Christ.
Let there be ham! Once my wife had bought a nice ham and looked forward to baking it. A neighbor lady dropped by and after talking awhile it became clear that they were going through a tight time even to the point of needing food. My wife knew that she was to give her pet ham to the woman. She also knew she didn't want too! But she did. They needed it so she gave it. We were doing OK but not rich either. Another time we were shortened of things but had part of a ham we were eating from. My daughter witnessed to the fact that God kept adding meat to that ham. We'd cut and cut and there was still ham left! Our daughter vowed that she could see that ham growing before her very eyes. God does his miracles of increase right before our eyes. When we don't give to those in need we only short ourselves.
Luke 6:38 (NKJV)
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
My circumstances though pressing, don't even rate a comparison with these heros of faith. There was a little disabled woman behind the iron curtain that was unable to get about. So with a cheap little typewriter she sat day after day and pecked out scripture messages that her friends would distribute. One at a time she typed out messages of hope, salvation and the love of God. The communists would find one of these every so often but couldn't find her. She had learned to be content and serve God in her forced confinement.
I'll never preach to thousands, travel the world ministering to the needy, be on the media, but from my little place of confinement I can still peck out the gospel and find needy souls that can be reached and helped. What we are doing today may be changed tomorrow and then we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory doing unfamiliar things. Yielding to God, as opposed to giving into negative circumstances, pacifies great offenses. Learning to accept changes and discerning when they are God's hand is a great step toward learning to be content. Once we realize that God is working in us and on us it becomes far easier to yield ourselves and ask "what do you want me to learn Lord"?
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for yielding to God will lay great offenses to rest.
Ecclesiastes 10:4 ESV
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Hebrews 12:5-13 ESV
Joel 2:26,27 NKJV
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.
