contentment revisited

I heard a message by Elisabeth Elliot today entitled Guide to Contentment. It was a real blessing to me because this is something that I know I have a problem with, but never really knew how to deal with. Well OK, I had SOME idea, and I had made SOME progress, but I know that I still have a LONG way to go.

I took notes along the way and thought I would share them here.

Hope it's a blessing to you!

Contentment
Elisabeth Elliot

1. A Command to Be Still
a. Psalm 131:2
b.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain.

c. What is my Issac? What is the most precious thing in our life that we need to surrender to God?

And shall I pray Thee change Thy will my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But no, Lord, no, that shall never be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.

I pray Thee hush the hurrying eager longing
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire.
See in my quiet places wishes thronging,
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.

And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure.
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Wellbeloved's leisure,
At last, at last, even as a weaned child.
- Amy Carmichael

2. Teachability (meekness)
a. If we want to learn contentment, we need to be teachable
b. Are we teachable only with some sources?
c. Will we be meek enough to receive counsel from a strange/unexpected source
d. Phil 4:11-13 – Paul was content
e. Recommendation: Daily Strengths for Daily Needs – Mary W Tileston (May 23)

If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these:--

1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather.
2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not.
3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another.
4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou dost thyself.
5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's, not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. "The Lord will provide."
E. B. PUSEY.

3. Trust
a. Trust that God knows what He is doing
b. Father, forgiving, fortress, friend, helper.
c. Psalm 16:5 – everything has been assigned by God and planned
d. Psalm 17:13-14
e. God knows our needs and the timing to provide

The Robin and the Sparrow
Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”

f. God is not worried about anything! Worry is a sin

4. How much is enough?
a. What is our attitude to earthly possessions? Do we always want more than we have?
b. Numbers 11: 1-6
c. Do we have a complaining spirit?
d. God assigns our portion
e. Clutter is an indication of a refusal to make decisions and reasonable estimates

5. Acceptance
a. This is a spiritual matter
b. Do we have a cheerful, thankful spirit for what God has given us (1 Thess 5:18)
c. Give thanks and be willing to receive what God appoints
d. When thou has truly thanked the Lord for every blessing sent, But little time will then remain for murmur or lament - Hannah More
e. DSDN – Jan 19
f. Acceptance brings peace ‘in acceptance lieth peace’ Amy Carmichael

6. The results: Love, Joy and Peace
a. Simplicity goes alongside tranquility
b. Own less, talk less, don’t be a busybody
c. There are very few things which are my business
d. We make odious comparisons all the time
e. Phil 4:11