Contentment in the Chaos

1 Timothy 6:6-8

“Now Godliness and contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (NKJV)

“Yet true Godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (NLT)

We all believe that when we are in need, God provides. Why is it then that we are so uneasy, stressed and worried when we know that God provides? Even in times of temptation Jesus says that there is no temptation that God would allow that is too great to handle. I have had many times when I have been stressed. At one point in time I was working half time, school full time, was taking the SAT, was preparing for Ignite and was a part of another school’s band. I was so stressed at times that I would exercise, write down a to-do list and work as hard as I could to get my mind off all I had to do. Many nights I would lie awake because I couldn’t ease my mind with how much I had to do the next day. I now understand that I could not have done any of it without Gods help and am very grateful for Him helping me in my time of need even though I didn’t ask or thank Him.

I have always been blessed with having food, water, clothing and much more. I had a loving family, had many privileges and was reading my devotionals every day; but I still wasn’t content. To be content with God is a difficult attribute to obtain and can only be received when one fully understands contentment and prays to God. When we find contentment with God, we are at peace that “surpasses all understanding”. So even if we don’t have food or water, we should still be content in God; for we know God is Sovereign and has everything planned out for “the good of those who love Him”.

To strive to be content in God, I am going to write down a list of 5 worries I have had and how God has helped me through them. This will help me because when I become worried and stressed, I can remind myself of how I can be content with God because He can handle it even when I can’t.

Having the Right Faith

Hebrews 6:12

“that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience will inherit promises” (NKJV)

Do you remember how you felt when you first became a Christian? Out of all honesty, I don’t remember because I was very young; but I do remember multiple times seeing people who first accept God. Everyone who truly accepts God into their hearts have felt convicted by God and have chosen to give their worries, troubles and future to God. When we see their conviction, we are all awestruck by God’s power and light that is radiating off of the new believers.

Many times I have been convicted or used by God and have felt His love in my heart. I feel this passion to further His Kingdom and all I want to do is glorify Him. After these moments, though, I go back to my daily routine and don’t do anything about it. I feel like us Christians, after we feel empowered by the Spirit, either get distracted and go back to our daily habits or drag our feet and become “sluggish”. Many times I feel like a puppy dog in faith. I am filled with God’s joy, am passionate for sharing God’s love, sees the good in people and wants to serve, but get distracted by the “shiny penny”. Other times I feel like a dog who doesn’t want to go on a walk; I obey, but I drag my feet and only do it because I am pulled along. We should neither be a puppy dog, nor a reluctant dog in faith. We need to be the one who will do whatever He asks or even looks at, without questioning or being reluctant.

To become more obedient for God, I am going to seek His face and see where His gaze is at, and I am going to write that down and go.

The Wisdom of Focusing on God

Ephesians 5:15-17

“See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is”. (NKJV)

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most out of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (NLT)

This world is full of distractions that all are trying to shake your walk with God. It is so easy to “live like fools” because that is what everyone in the flesh is doing, but we are instructed not to. We have to “be careful how (we) live”. We need to make sure that we don’t let the distractions in this world cause us to wander off of God’s path for us.

We have so many tools to proclaim the gospel. We can now not only preach and print out books, but we can use video, music and social media to proclaim His message. These “tools” we can use to spread the Word of God anywhere with the click of a button, but these tools can also do us harm if we aren’t careful. As tools can help, so they can also weigh down and cause more bad than good. So we need to make sure that, as we use these tools, we stay focused on God.

For me personally, I love music; I listen to it wherever I go. Music can make gloom become light and make sadness become happy. For the first 2 weeks of the Ignite Program I was not allowed to have any technology and wasn’t allowed to listen to any music. Our goal as Christians is to “understand what the Lord wants (us) to do” and then do it. I found that in the time I didn’t have music God spoke to me more than He has, I daresay, all my life. It takes no expert to see the correlation; the more music, the less I hear from God.

I am going to apply what I have learned by only listening to music before my devotions.

Revelation 1:9

 “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (NKJV)

“I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus” (NLT)

We all know that we are called to be witnesses and ambassadors of Christ, but how far are we willing to take it? John was willing to share the Gospel no matter what the punishment is; are we? When I think of the role of being a Christian, I think about how we should be spreading God’s Massage of hope through how we live. Put simply, I think the role of a Christian is reflecting Jesus to others. If we fulfill this role as a Christian, then we are living Christ out and are a light in the world. Now we all should desire and strive for truly being Christ’s disciples. When I look at John preaching the Gospel no matter what the threats are and no matter what the punishment is, but then I realized something. Yes John had courageous faith, but it wasn’t his faith; it was Christ’s image being reflected by him. Jesus doesn’t want us to have faith in Him or even believe in Him, what He wants is for us to know Him and reflect His image so others can see and know Him also.

When we reflect His image and are basking in Him, than only intentional rebellion can stop the reflecting of Him. John remained faithful and was punished, but he knew it was worth basking in God’s light. As we go through suffering, it is easy to put over a veil and pretend we are still lit up with God but we need to stay faithful. Honesty and others are the best ways to stay faithful in Christ. John states that he is their “brother and (their) partner in suffering”. When we come together to help one another and are honest with each other, then our foundation won’t ever crumble.

I am going to apply what I have learned by asking my leader what the best qualities someone should have to reflect God’s light.

Colossians 1:11

“strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy” (NKJV)

This is a part of Paul’s prayer for the church of Colossi. Paul is writing a letter of encouragement to them because they have had steadfast in their “faith in Christ Jesus and of (their) love for all the saints”; another translation says “and your love for all of God’s people”. I look at the Colossi church and think to myself, what more do you need? Jesus commands us to love God and love one another (Mathew 22:37). My Christian walk so many times has been a battle of what is true, a battle of staying focused, a debate on current issues and what the bible says about them as well as big concepts in faith. I have complicated my walk so much because I want to follow God and be the best I can be, when really, because of this, I have lost focus on the simplicity of faith. Paul encourages this church by first telling them how well they are doing in their faith and then how he is praying for them.

What also speaks to me is how Paul encourages the church. Paul doesn’t just say, “good job! I am praying for you” but rather takes his time listing off specifics. Paul talks about how they started in faith and how they still haven’t strayed from their focus in the beginning. When we encourage someone, we shouldn’t just write them a small verse and a prayer, but rather we should pour out our heart for them. Paul shows his heart and his love for this church by presenting his prayers and joyful encouragement. Paul has shown he really does care, is a part of the church and wants to help them through whatever they are going through. In Paul’s prayer, he also shows them what to strive for. He gives them a goal and asks for God to help them to the goal.

To apply what I have learned about fruitful faith and encouragement, I am going to write out a letter of encouragement to someone in ignite who God chooses.

Luke 21:19

“But your patience possess your souls” (NKJV)

“By standing firm, you will win your souls” (NLT)

This passage is talking about the end times when “not one stone shall be left upon another” (Luke 21:6, NKJV). The passage states that there will be various disasters and tribulation for believers during these times; for there will be wars, blasphemy, famine and natural disaster. It says that the believers will be persecuted and betrayed by their family, friends and even parents; where many will face death; but through this all Jesus tells us to be steadfast in faith.

When I think of tribulation, I think of when my good friend passed away last Christmas. It brought me great sadness and shook my faith. I continued to read the bible and pray, but I lost the joy and love in it. It was a hard time for me, but I recovered and was restored because of the Great Comforter; God. But that was only a death of a friend; imagine what it would be like to know many friends who died for their faith. God says that the greatest act of love is to lay down one’s life for a friend (John 15:13). This is what Christ did for us; allowing us to have salvation. Now if laying down one’s life for a friend is the greatest act of love, then what would it be like for one to betray and sacrifice a friend for their own benefit? I would personally call that the greatest act of betrayal; this is what Judas did to Jesus. 

Jesus speaks of a very evil time that will be a dark time, but He said that God will give all the believers a gift of “the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!” Even though there is a lot of evil that will be against us, God will be for us and that is all we need.

Jesus says “don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you”. So many times have I worried in advance of the trials and situations that I am going to face, when really I shouldn’t because God is going to give me “the right words and… wisdom”, which is all I need. To apply this passage to my life, today I am going to write down 3 trials or situations that I worry about and am going to give them to God.

Being Prepared Soil

Luke 8:11-15

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are chokes with cares, riches, and pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (NKJV)

In this parable, God’s Word is the seed and we are the dirt. This analogy is really profound because we are made up of dirt. We were created from the dust of the earth which is where we will return. God’s word, the seed, can grow in us but it all depends on how much we accept it. There are four examples of seeds shown; there is the ones on the wayside, the ones on the rock, the ones in the thorns and the ones on fertile soil. So I asked myself which one am I?

But it isn’t that simple, for the seed is constantly being casted. All of us at one time or another have listened to God’s Word and then have casted it “by the wayside”. We are all guilty of hearing a Sunday sermon and then walking out of church not receiving the message. We all have also soaked up a Sunday sermon with joy and conviction, but then temptation and distractions pull us away so we forget the message. But sometimes we don’t even receive the message in the church because of our “cares, riches and pleasures of life”. Of all these seeds, there is only one that is impactful; the seed that falls on the fertile soil, which is heard with a seeking heart that is able to keep it and bear fruit.

So the question for me isn’t “Which soil am I” but rather “What soil (or church scenario) am I most guilty of being?” and “How can I change this?”. Just as all soil needs to be weeded and prepared, so do we before we receive the gospel. To be prepared before I am seeded, today I am going to pray for God to ready my heart before every sermon and to make sure I do this Julio is going to keep me accountable.