Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Considering the State of Discontent

I've been thinking on discontentment quite a bit in recent weeks and months.

I'm considering what the primary source(s) may be, what a great motivator it can be, whether it is always a bad thing, how it plays out in our personal and public life, how it impacts the Church, and how best to please God when we find ourselves in a state of discontent.

I welcome your thoughts if you care share them!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

God has taught me more contentment in Him and less satisfaction in the world. I have the disabilities and I accept them because I know who I am from the inside. Everything has its wonders, even silence and pain, and I learn whatever disabilities and difficulties I may be in, I am happily content.

John said...

Read "The Art of Divine Contentment" by Thomas Watson.

And pray, and pray, and pray...

Connie said...

jim: Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment. 'Learning' contentment through my trials is, IMHO, has been my greatest teacher. I hope I can say it this way without being misunderstood, but me learning to 'resign' myself to His perfect will and wise providence has developed a 'steadiness' in my Xian walk.

john: Thanks for taking time to comment. Watson has been on my list for so many years--but my 'list' is so huge! There are many Puritan in our home library--so they're are always there for me! I don't like to 'pick and choose' from a book, but perhaps for the time being I can read some selected portions to help guide my thinking.

Steve Scott said...

Discontentment is a good thing to ponder. I think we as Christians tend to force it into the bad corner too much because we have just a few verses that speak to it. It's like ambition. The bible doesn't forbid ambition, just selfish ambition, but the verse on selfish ambition colors our view of all ambition.

If I got a job flipping burgers at McDonald's at 16, should I be content to retire from the same job at 65? Or should I progress toward better things? Would this be discontentment? Yes, I would be discontent with working the same job as when I was 16.

Connie said...

steve: Thanks for your thoughts, they're right along the lines of where I've been lately and am working to formulate AND SUPPORT. :-)

Marcian said...

Discontentment is a TERRIFIC motivator. Mostly, however, to do the wrong things. My discontent soon unveils the state in which my self-control usually is.