CONTENTMENT

[Julie Harvey]

CONTENTMENT



Over the past year he has taught me much about contentment - mostly from the standpoint of discontentment.


These are a few things that I have discovered about Contentment – contentment with yourself, your circumstances, and even your spouse.



What is Contentment?



Contentment is a glorious robe

Contentment gives us strength

Contentment is protection against Satan (from many evils)

It is a wide mantle of protection

It is something we learn

Being content as you live in the Word of God will release your anointing!

Godliness with contentment is great gain

(1 Timothy 6:6)



When you become discontent PRAY not to be moved by your feelings, your own impulses or desires. If you follow your own desires when you are discontent, you will become very disappointed. If there is temptation to sin, watch out that you are not consumed. Pray, pray, pray!! You need God to intervene. You may not be able to handle it yourself – no you cannot. Wrong desires and covetousness are killers. They will chew away at you. Don’t let them devour you. God is always there to help us our time of need! Jesus understands our temptations and so we can come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:15&16).



God will probably need to discipline you to purge you of the junk. This is a process. Don’t become discouraged and faint along the way (See Galatians 6:9).



Discontentment often causes strife in relationships if not brought under control. It will often be linked to jealousy, envy and covetousness and the like.



Being content in all things has been a difficult thing to learn for me so far, and I am still learning. It took the Apostle Paul 36 years to learn the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:11-13), so don’t feel discouraged!! Always remember that like most things, it is a learning process.



Once you have been dealt with by God over a period of time, you will have grown in maturity in many many ways as a Christian. You will be in a better moral state than before. It is so glorious to look back and see God’s work in our lives. We need to be continually thankful and never forget the things that He has done! Amen to my awesome God!!



God will purge you – if you let Him!! We need to work with God. He will give us the victory.



Getting free from discontentment


God is doing this awesome work and shaking us up to get rid of the wrong things in our souls so that we are not a stumbling block for others. For me personally, God has been shaking me up a lot lately! Many impurities have been purged from my soul – by fire. God purges us and tests our quality through fiery trials. (1 Peter 4:1&2; 12). He prunes us and burns up the chaff! (Luke 3:16&17; John 15: 2&3). God brings us into a life-giving place, where we are able to give life to those around us! Amen!!


God will shake out of us things like impatience, discouragement etc. Impatience and discouragement are two of the harder things that I found to overcome when dealing with discontentment over the last year or so.



One of the most important things is to keep believing and keep hoping.


A favourite scripture of mine is Psalm 27:13&14 in the Amplified Bible. It says: “[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!” The next verse tells us to wait on the lord and be strong!! We can get through to our promised land if we just keep trusting Him! God will lead us into the Promised Land. We need to act well in this time of waiting and preparation – this is also a learning process.



As we continue to follow Jesus through thick and thin, we ARE becoming steadfast, firm and immovable, rooted and grounded in Him! We will eventually be peaceful people with a calm and self-possessed spirit. Amen.



Thank you Lord for doing and continuing to do an awesome work in me. Amen, so be it!!

[Dale Stensland]

Hi God bless!

I myself feel contentment is "relative" to life's circumstances & how we deal with it.
If our lives are "aimless & frolicking" there will be much discontentment! If our lives have been touched by God & given a purpose (as anyone who is saved-born again- washed by the blood should heed Gods direction) Please pardon my frankness but it takes more then a few words to be saved! It takes the “indwelling” of the Holy Ghost to “Save someone” too many people these days are deceived into thinking they are “saved” after simply repeating the “sinners prayer”, God picks you , though you think you “pick “ God. He picks you for a purpose, find your purpose & you will find contentment! God bless you all!