CONTENTED MIND

Hey everyone! How are you? I hope all is well!

I’ve been on the topic of “contentment” for the last few days. I desire to have a contented mind. I admit it’s a struggle at times but I don’t want to be a person who murmurs and complains to God. So what is contentment and how do we attain it?

“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”
Philippians 4:11 ESV

Paul says that he had “learned” this. Probably by nature he had a mind as prone to impatience as others, but he had been in circumstances fitted to produce a different state of feeling. He had had ample experience,

I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
2 Corinthians 11:26 NLT

In his life of trials (The Apostle Paul’s life was full of trials as we read the passage above), he had acquired invaluable lessons on the subject. He had had abundant time for reflection, and he had found that there was grace enough in the gospel to enable him to bear trials with resignation (God’s grace is at our disposal). The considerations by which he had been taught this, he does not state; but they were probably such as the following: that it is wrong to complain at the allotments (giving out of) of Providence (from God); that a spirit of impatience does no good, remedies no evil, and supplies no want; that God could provide for him in a way which he could not foresee, and that the Saviour was able abundantly to sustain him.

A contented mind is an invaluable blessing, and is one of the fruits of faith in the soul. It arises from the belief that God is right in all his ways (Do you believe that?). Why should we be impatient, restless, discontented? What evil will be remedied by it? What want supplied? What calamity removed?

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:15  ESV

One of the secrets of happiness is to have a mind satisfied with all the allotments (giving out of) of Providence (from God).

Let’s incorporate the following into our daily prayers:

“Give us minds always contented with our present condition.”

No prayer can be offered which will enter more deeply into all our happiness on earth.

Source: Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

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Always, for God’s glory and our joy in Him!

Kevin Nunez

http://kevinnunez.org/2013/01/04/a-contented-mind/