Providence of God
Phil 4:10-13
- Contentment doesn’t come naturally.. It’s a virtue that needs to be cultivated.
- Contentment isn’t adjustment.. It’s not getting used to it...
- “I must learn contentment..”
Contentment isn’t self-sufficience
It’s an internal, utter harmony and peace without any external props
contentment isn’t complacency. It isn’t taking a failure for granted. Another word for this is “joy”
What are u dependent on for your happiness this morning? On what are you deriving your contentment/joy from?
Assumption of Success - A greater power to purchase (Envy/Jealousy)
Assumption of Security - A significant other?
Assumption of Significance - Accomplishments?
Are there no discontentment amongst the rich, hitched and famous?
Is it an elusive virtue? It’s not a natural trait.. It’s a virtue learnt through experience - A spirit of thanksgiving in times of adversity and the providence of God.
There’s a natural mechanism to return to God only in times of trouble. - The most vibrant times of Spiritual activity is when we’re down and struggling.
Spiritual restlessness comes in good times...
Irony of Contentment
Are we doing a search for God due to personal interests or are we seeking Him for Him?
What are you doing in your life? What is true Contentment to you?
The better the times, the harder it is to turn to God and be contented.
V.12 - I have learned the secret - It’s not only elusive. It’s a grace word. It’s by the grace of God as well and not just a human-side work or step to believe and hunger for the experience that teaches contentment.
It doesn’t mean that he has gotten prosperity and poverty.. and so he understands.. But rather, i know how to handle poverty and prosperity. Not just experiencing it.. It’s handling it!
There is a trial of poverty and ... also, a trial of prosperity.
James 1 V.2 & v.12 were talking about trials..
In v. 9, it is most prob. also talking about trials.
It almost seemed that James was incoherent by jumping from trials & temptations into rich vs. poor and then back to trials again. I think that it wasn't by coincidence but on purpose as there is a trial in hard times but a greater trial, one of complacency, in good times.
Is your life a series of accidents or a series of appointments by God?