Contentment - It's Possible!

Brian came home from Desiring God's Annual Conference with The Secret of Contentment by William B. Barcley.  It was just what the Doctor ordered for my discontent, frustrated soul.  I could have written this part from the introduction:

"Now in a new state, in a new part of the country, I struggled with God's sovereignty.  I found no delight in my new job.  I found no delight in God and his plan for me.  My anger and disappointment kept me up at night.  I struggled to do the new work that I had been called to do.  For a year I accomplished very little and performed poorly on the job.

My discontent also affect my family.  I sulked around the house.  I withdrew from my family.  I was quick-tempered and yelled when something disrupted me...I became a self-absorbed, unloving husband and father," (p. 13).

My discontent is literally killing me.  It's wiping out my joy, my love for Christ, my family relationships, my desire to be with others, and I HATE it.  These circumstances in my life won't change - at least not in the near future - so what am I going to do?  Today I've decided I'm going to fight like crazy for contentment.  Paul says he learned the secret, so why can't I!?

Dr. Barcley extensively studied the Puritans in his research on contentment, out of which his book was written.  He says:

1. Contentment is attainable!  Yay!  According to Philippians 4:11-13, God empowers His people to acquire this Christian virtue in whatever situation He leads them.  That is so encouraging to me - I don't have to live in my misery.

2. Contentment is learned.  Paul says, "I have learned the secret..." (Philippians 4:12).  Dr. Barcley writes, "...true contentment comes by being satisfied with God and longing for heaven...But the key idea here is that we have to work at contentment.  We have to learn it.  We have to study it.  And we especially need to be 'reprogrammed' in our thinking," (p. 26).  I've met people who have learned this and they are so at peace, full of joy and just so great to be around.  I long to have that peace and joy - even if I am battling hard things.

3. You will not truly be content until you learn to be content in every situation that you face in life.  The author encourages his readers with, "...hardship has a God-ordained and Christ-exalting place in our lives.  God uses affliction to sanctify us, to make us holy.  But afflictions work in this way only if we face them with a certain degree of contentment - accepting them as from the hand of God...When we accept all hardships as from the hand of our heavenly Father, we grow in maturity, holiness, and contentment," (p. 29).

Dr. Barcley finishes up his first chapter with a definition of contentment and seven additional ideas about contentment and how it looks.  If this is an area you are struggling with - maybe it's not location or occupation, but relational or physical - I'd highly recommend this book.  As Paul taught in Philippians, contentment is learned and we must study study study it!  This book is a great way to do just that.  I can't wait to read more, and I pray that the LORD uses it to bring peace where there is none and joy where there is grumbling and frustration in my life.

See these two!?  Aren't they cute!?

They deserve a wife and mom who is happy and contented...thankfully, the LORD is in the business of doing the impossible.