Reflections on Contentment

At our staff meeting this week I prepared the following devotional. There was excellent discussion and when all was said and done, you might say this devotional was written by a dozen or so staff of the Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission!

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

Contentment makes us fit for service.

One of the dangers of "growing weary in well doing," as Ken exhorted us at our last staff meeting, is slipping into a state of discontent.

Characteristics of Discontent:

1- A heart condition.
It begins with an internal dissatisfaction with God.
It's a craving of wanting more - of not acknowledging that what we have is enough.

2 - It's a focus on the temporal, not eternal.
It is dwelling in our MIND on our sickness, on our lack, on wishing for something that we don't have - perhaps a spouse, a car, a house, or a certain talent or ability.

3 - It's a negative attitude and it's contageous.
As missionaries, our greatest temptation may well be discontentment! The enemy is quick to pounce on this one as the results can be devestating.

Q: Name some end results of discontentment, relevant to our team.
-Pulling others down
-Lack of prayer
-Lack of encouragement
-Negativity
-"in-fighting"
-Loss of staff & volunteers
-Lack of effective ministry
-Desire to quit
-Straying from God, although this concept was attached to a "chicken and egg disclainmer"

Remember Jesus' words:
If you have food, water, clothing & shelter for THIS DAY -
BE CONTENT.

The Remedy-

Q:How, practically speaking, can we obey this command?

a) Guarding our mindds from the world--verything from bad tv to the commercials that make you long for the latest gadgets.

b) Stick around with winners--mentoring, coaching, hanging around with people that are uplfting.

c) Remind yourself of your blessings--like living at the Mission for $230 a month, getting free clothing and food.

d) Avoid the love of $--
How? Radical generosity, and biting your tongue vs. complaining

e) Release your resentments to God-- How?
i. Get to the bottom of it.
ii. Forgive
iii. Ask God to bless them: this is the real thermometer of forgiveness.

f) Accept life's disappointments--children not living for Christ, singleness, grief. Remember that life is always going to be a unique combination of joy and pain.

Conclusion:
Complete reliance upon God.
Simply God.
God alone. He is enough.

Remember Romans 8:

For I am fully convinced that nothing can seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.