When I think of "great quotes," I always remember Jeremiah Burroughs. His book, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, is on my list of Top 5 Favorite "God Books" that I have ever read. I taught the entirety of this volume in our church's Women's Bible Study classes about 20 years ago, spoke on it at a small women's conference, and even quoted it at our son Sam's funeral. What makes Burroughs so quotable? It's because he is biblical. He writes as one who is thoroughly and completely immersed in Scripture.Here are the words for which this man of God, who lived so long ago (1599-1646), is most famous:
"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition."
The entirety of Burroughs' book (228 pages) is an exposition of this definition of contentment. Being a mysterious and difficult-to-practice virtue, I heartily recommend this book to help us in our goal of being content.
Thoughts? Anyone out there in CandyceLand content with their level of contentment? If so, how did you get there? If not, how can we help one another to grow in this area?
Like stepping stones, we learn contentment one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteYes, and thankfully God is merciful and patient with us when we sometimes stumble.
ReplyDeleteNot that I have achieved but one step for me is to be content with the small ministry God has given for me at this particular time. In my restful state I thought that I should be doing more bigger things to help further the kingdom of God. So prayerfully I talked to God about it, Father I am far to comfortable and peaceful what am I not doing? What have you bigger for me? The answer I got was my small ministry was right beside me, my husband, that is what God has for me to do right now, and to be content with simply being a good wife. Can I be content with His answer? I then picked up a book that was one of Candy and Steve's clearance house books when they were cleaning out the church library. "The excellent Wife" by Martha Peace, a book and a journal to help us understand what is being presented in her book. She tells me that I am to live humbly and submit to God first and then to my husband, this is biblical. I am to be content to call him master as Sarah called Abraham. My ministry is to help him, encourage him, submit to him selflessly. Apparently its not all about me. As she gives me scripture to back this up, as I prayerfully answer her questions in the journal, give them thought, let them settle, read what Gods word has to say about it, I find myself more able and willing to do it. Our lives become one as I practice this each day, my humility takes over my pride, I am more content to let him lead even if its not my way, I find that God protects me and that I can trust Him to do so, I find that in Gods order there is contentment. I see my husband change also he values me more and desires to take care of me. I am only in the beginning baby steps of this however I am more content and quite possibly once I learn my lessons and my heart is changed in this small ministry then perhaps God will have more for me. But, if not I will have contentment in my ministry as an Excellent wife. :-). Debbi
ReplyDeleteI particularly like your phrase "Apparently it's not all about me." If we could only remember this I believe we would really reduce our stress, anger, and tendency to be offended about everything...
ReplyDeleteAmen sister :-)
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