"In acceptance lieth peace." ~ Amy Carmichael
God has much to say about peace, and it's all about HIM. Acceptance is merely a yielding to HIM. Whatever my situation, when I believe that God is sovereign and that He is nothing but GOOD, I can accept my situation, because I know in my soul that He is always working for my good (Romans 8:28).
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." ~ Colossians 3:12-15
Did you read those verses carefully? God has called me, as the elect of God, to put on mercy, kindness, humility, etc. When offenses come--and they will come!--if forgiveness and love are my heart, though Christ's power within me, through that YIELDING to His Spirit, I can LET the peace of God rule in my heart. The result is not only an inner calm, but an outer thankfulness. An attitude of gratefulness comes when I am at peace on the inside. A grateful woman is so much more pleasant than a worried or angry woman!
"Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7
When I am YIELDING to His Spirit within me, and not my own spirit, I will not be anxious or worried about anything. I will immediately bring my request to the God that I KNOW and BELIEVE I can trust (Isaiah 43:10). When I leave it at His feet--the best I know how--THEN the PEACE OF GOD beyond all understanding will KEEP or guard both my heart and my mind!
And it's all through Christ Jesus!
Acceptance does equal peace, but only if the acceptance is a yielding to and a delight in God, not just a mere resignation to one's fate. Delighting in God and what He is doing in my life no matter what the trial is not easy, but that is what will bring me streams of water in the desert place.
"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." ~ Isaiah 58:11
Let me know how God has been your personal spring of water! Comment below.
Showing posts with label cheerful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheerful. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, June 1, 2009
How Can I Know I’ve Learned Contentment?
Adapted from The Art of Divine Contentment, by Thomas Watson, a.d. 1620-1686
1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit. A contented person has no word to say against God. Psalm 39:9; Lam. 3:22-28
Pharaoh—“Who is the Lord?”—in other words: “Why should I suffer all this? Why should I be brought to this low condition?” —“Who is the Lord?” Ex. 5:2
Eli, when told that his house/family would be judged, did not murmur or dispute. He had a gracious heart, “It is the Lord; let Him do what He will with me.” I Sam. 3:18
Aaron's sons had offered up strange fire, and fire from the Lord devoured them. The Bible says, “Aaron held his peace.” Lev. 10:1-2
Jonah said, “I do well to be angry.” He did not display a contented spirit. Jonah 4:9
2. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit. It is more than patience. Patience is simply submission. Contentment indicates cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than passive. She does not only bear the cross, but she takes up the cross. She looks upon God as a wise God, and on whatever God does as a necessity to mature her into what He wants. II Cor. 12:10
3. A contented spirit is a thankful spirit. I Thess. 5:18 A gracious heart spies mercy in every condition; therefore she has her heart lifted up to thankfulness. Others will bless God for prosperity, but she blesses Him for affliction! When she is lacking something she wants or even believes she needs, she says to herself: “God sees it as better for me to lack this thing than to have it. He sees it as better for my spiritual health.” Therefore she not only submits but is thankful that God in His sovereignty knows and is doing what is best for her.
4. When a person is content, no condition of life is worth complaining about. Paul learned this. Phil. 4:11-12 “For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”
Psalm 78:10-33—The Israelites murmured when they lacked food. When God provided it, they left His way. Maybe God had a reason for allowing their lack?
A contented spirit says, “Let God apply whatever medicine He wants, and let it stay as long as He wants, because I know that, when it has cured the disease and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart, God will take it away.”
A contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word, desires to be wholly at God’s disposal, and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God has set him.
5. She who is contented with her condition will not run into sin to get out of trouble or difficulties.
She is willing to wait for God and will not move until God opens the door.
The Israelites did not move until the pillar of cloud and fire moved. Ex. 13:21
It is good to wait on God and not to try to get out of what we consider trouble until we see God’s hand pointing a way out. Lam. 3:26
1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit. A contented person has no word to say against God. Psalm 39:9; Lam. 3:22-28
Pharaoh—“Who is the Lord?”—in other words: “Why should I suffer all this? Why should I be brought to this low condition?” —“Who is the Lord?” Ex. 5:2
Eli, when told that his house/family would be judged, did not murmur or dispute. He had a gracious heart, “It is the Lord; let Him do what He will with me.” I Sam. 3:18
Aaron's sons had offered up strange fire, and fire from the Lord devoured them. The Bible says, “Aaron held his peace.” Lev. 10:1-2
Jonah said, “I do well to be angry.” He did not display a contented spirit. Jonah 4:9
2. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit. It is more than patience. Patience is simply submission. Contentment indicates cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than passive. She does not only bear the cross, but she takes up the cross. She looks upon God as a wise God, and on whatever God does as a necessity to mature her into what He wants. II Cor. 12:10
3. A contented spirit is a thankful spirit. I Thess. 5:18 A gracious heart spies mercy in every condition; therefore she has her heart lifted up to thankfulness. Others will bless God for prosperity, but she blesses Him for affliction! When she is lacking something she wants or even believes she needs, she says to herself: “God sees it as better for me to lack this thing than to have it. He sees it as better for my spiritual health.” Therefore she not only submits but is thankful that God in His sovereignty knows and is doing what is best for her.
4. When a person is content, no condition of life is worth complaining about. Paul learned this. Phil. 4:11-12 “For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”
Psalm 78:10-33—The Israelites murmured when they lacked food. When God provided it, they left His way. Maybe God had a reason for allowing their lack?
A contented spirit says, “Let God apply whatever medicine He wants, and let it stay as long as He wants, because I know that, when it has cured the disease and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart, God will take it away.”
A contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word, desires to be wholly at God’s disposal, and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God has set him.
5. She who is contented with her condition will not run into sin to get out of trouble or difficulties.
She is willing to wait for God and will not move until God opens the door.
The Israelites did not move until the pillar of cloud and fire moved. Ex. 13:21
It is good to wait on God and not to try to get out of what we consider trouble until we see God’s hand pointing a way out. Lam. 3:26
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