{"id":3638,"date":"2015-10-03T00:04:08","date_gmt":"2015-10-03T07:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3638"},"modified":"2015-10-02T23:06:20","modified_gmt":"2015-10-03T06:06:20","slug":"103-how-to-find-contentment-in-times-of-trouble-%e7%ae%b4245-14-%e8%85%9342-23-%e8%80%b661-729","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/10\/03\/103-how-to-find-contentment-in-times-of-trouble-%e7%ae%b4245-14-%e8%85%9342-23-%e8%80%b661-729\/","title":{"rendered":"10\/3: How to Find Contentment in Times of Trouble (\u7bb424:5-14 \u81534:2-23 \u80366:1-7:29)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u7bb424:5-14 \u81534:2-23 \u80366:1-7:29<\/h2>\n

How to Find Contentment in Times of Trouble<\/h2>\n
\n

Recently I spoke with a friend who is not a Christian. He is a charming and delightful person. He is a successful businessman and has made a great deal of money. He has a wonderful wife, a good marriage and a great family. Yet he spoke to me of the deep emptiness in his life, and the lack of peace and contentment he experiences.<\/p>\n

\u2018Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor,\u2019 said the American Statesman, Benjamin Franklin. Few people seem to be genuinely content. As Martin Luther once said, \u2018Contentment is a rare bird, but it sings sweetly in the breast.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Bible never promises that we will not face hard times or difficult situations. But it does promise us God\u2019s strength and grace in these times.<\/p>\n

The apostle Paul is an example of a person who found the secret of a life of peace and contentment in times of trouble. He tells the Philippians how to find peace and shares the secret of being content <\/em>(Philippians 4:12).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Find soul satisfaction in God\u2019s wisdom<\/h2>\n

Proverbs 24:5-14<\/a>What happens when you face a crisis in your life? How do you respond to hard times and difficult situations?<\/p>\n

All of us are likely to face times of trouble<\/em> in our lives. The writer of Proverbs says, \u2018If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!\u2019 (v.10). Or, as the Message<\/em> puts it, \u2018If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn\u2019t much to you in the first place\u2019 (v.10, MSG).<\/p>\n

The wise person will not fall to pieces, for they have \u2018great power\u2019 and \u2018knowledge increases strength\u2019 (v.5). They seek guidance and have \u2018many advisers\u2019 (v.6).<\/p>\n

When evil things are happening (v.11), do not close your eyes and say, \u2018But we knew nothing about this\u2019 (v.12).<\/p>\n

How do you get this wisdom? The wisdom of God is like the sweet taste of honey: \u2018Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off\u2019 (v.14). This wisdom is found supremely in Christ, for he is \u2018the wisdom of God\u2019 (1 Corinthians 1:24).<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you that in Christ, the wisdom of God, we find soul satisfaction, the secret of contentment and peace. Please fill me today with the Spirit of Jesus \u2013 with wisdom, contentment and peace.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Find the secret in Christ Jesus<\/h2>\n

Philippians 4:2-23<\/a>No one goes through life without difficulties and hard times. Paul is not without his troubles (v.14). He is in prison and no doubt has plenty to worry about.<\/p>\n

However, he writes, \u2018Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God\u2019s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus\u2019 (vv.6\u20137, AMP). This is a remarkable and wonderful promise, and one that I have claimed and experienced many times in my own life.<\/p>\n

Corrie ten Boom defined worry as \u2018a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a centre of fear\u2019. Worry can wreck our lives. Some of our worries, like Paul\u2019s, are real, and some are illusory, but in either case, a life weighed down by worry is not really living.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s solution is to encourage us to turn to prayer, bringing our specific concerns to God: \u2018Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns\u2019 (v.6, MSG).<\/p>\n

Sometimes, I find it a help to write down specific requests. This enables me to look back at the ways in which God has answered my prayers. If you do this, you can then give thanks (v.6), and your confidence in prayer will increase.<\/p>\n

Offer your current prayers from a foundation of a life that is filled with \u2018thanksgiving\u2019 (v.6). The wonderful promise is that as you do this \u2018the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus\u2019 (v.7). God exchanges your worries for his peace.<\/p>\n

The word for peace means far more than an absence of hostility. It means wholeness, soundness, well-being, oneness with God and every kind of blessing and good. It is a peace \u2018which transcends all understanding\u2019. It surpasses both your ability to cope, and your anxiety about what is to come.<\/p>\n

Paul then turns his attention to what we think about. We are surrounded by images and words from the media, conversations and events, which can so easily tempt us, almost daily, with wrong thoughts. But you can resist this. As Martin Luther said, \u2018You can\u2019t stop a bird flying overhead, but you can stop it nesting in your hair.\u2019<\/p>\n

The way to get wrong thoughts out<\/em> is to get right thoughts in<\/em>. Your mind cannot be unoccupied. If you don\u2019t occupy your mind with good thoughts the enemy will fill it with bad ones.<\/p>\n

Follow Paul\u2019s advice: \u2018you\u2019ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious \u2013 the best\u2019 (v.8, MSG). He realises that what you think about will affect every area of your life. Fill your mind with good things, whatever \u2018is excellent and praiseworthy\u2019 (v.8).<\/p>\n

Think about what you think about. The root of our problems may be our thought life. If you change the things you allow your mind to dwell on, \u2018God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies\u2019 (v.9, MSG).<\/p>\n

The hardest part is always putting all this \u2018into practice\u2019 (v.9). The only way of learning any skill, trade or sport is by practising. Practise avoiding quarrels, staying united with other Christians (vv.2\u20133) and avoiding anxiety by continual prayer. If you do, then Paul promises that \u2018the God of peace will be with you\u2019 (v.9).<\/p>\n

Paul did not worry about his needs being met. He had learnt that the secret of contentment<\/em> in every situation, in plenty or in want, was that he could \u2018do everything through him who gives me strength\u2019 (v.13). Whatever situation you are in, God will strengthen you to do whatever he is calling you to do.<\/p>\n

Paul praises the Philippians for their generosity, which is a \u2018fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God\u2019 (v.18). This generosity is a part of love. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.<\/p>\n

God promises that he will meet all your \u2018needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus\u2019 (v.19), as you live a generous life free of financial worries. This includes your material needs<\/em> \u2013 though not necessarily your wants<\/em>. As the Message<\/em> puts it, \u2018You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need<\/em>, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus\u2019 (v.19, MSG). You cannot out-give God.<\/p>\n

Lord, today I bring to you my anxieties\u2026 Thank you for the promise of your peace, which transcends all understanding.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3. Find soul rest on God\u2019s paths<\/h2>\n

Jeremiah 6:1-7:29<\/a>God loves you. He wants you to find \u2018rest for your soul\u2019 (6:16). He wants to protect and provide for you. It is tragic when his people do not listen to him.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah continues to prophesy about times of trouble. God does not act without warning. He warned his people through the prophets, asking, \u2018To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me?\u2019 (v.10). The false prophets spoke of a false peace, \u2018\u201cPeace, peace\u201d they say, when there is no peace\u2019 (v.14b).<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the Lord says, \u2018Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls<\/em>\u2019 (v.16, AMP).<\/p>\n

The problem was that they did not listen: \u2018Their ears are stuffed with wax\u2019 (v.12, MSG). \u2018They ignored everything I said\u2019 (v.19, MSG).<\/p>\n

Jeremiah proclaimed the message courageously (7:2) and called them to repentance: \u2018Reform your ways and your actions\u2019 (v.3), \u2018change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly\u2019 (v.5). He called them not to oppress the outsider, the fatherless or the widow, and not to follow other gods. God calls his people, \u2018Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all my ways I command you, that it may go well with you\u2019 (v.23).<\/p>\n

\u2018But do you think they listened? Not a word of it. They did just what they wanted to do\u2019 (v.24, MSG). The tragedy of these chapters is that the people refused to do this, and turned their back on God\u2019s blessings.<\/p>\n

Lord, forgive me when I have not listened to you. Thank you that when you call me to repentance, you promise that if I return to the eternal paths and walk in them, I will find rest and contentment for my soul.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n
\n

Philippians 4:6\u20137<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.\u2019<\/p>\n

I am trying hard not to worry,\u00a0but to pray instead. So whenever a thought,\u00a0during the day\u00a0or night, comes into my mind (it\u00a0could be about\u00a0someone who is sick, a decision I have got to make,\u00a0a long flight or whether anyone will come back to Alpha next week), I am trying not to waste a lot of time thinking about it, but\u00a0instead say a prayer and trust that God\u00a0has heard and will answer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u7bb424:5-14 \u81534:2-23 \u80366:1-7:29 How t […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bibleinoneyear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3638"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3639,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638\/revisions\/3639"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}