Troubled Times

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LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

Contentment in trouble times

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).KJV

Webster’s says “content” means “happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different; satisfied.”

How could Paul speak of contentment having endured beatings, stoning, shipwrecks and imprisonment?

The key comes in what Paul said previously. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything 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

Contentment in troubled time

Eleven years of our marriage my husband and I lived in two states. David had sensed God directing him to begin construction on a home for us. At completion my mom and I would join him. The ease and speed we envisioned never materialized.

During this time, people looking on grew confused and discontentment became our frequent visitor. Others wanted (as we did also) me to move to the house my husband was building. Or it would have been nice if he were to abandon the project and move back in with me and my mom.

Troubled Times Determine to follow God’s Direction

We had to follow God’s directions for each of us. We set our faces like flint and determined to obey God no matter what.

God meanwhile brought about character development in us. We became more resilient, less dependent while leaning more on God. Contentment consisted of resting in the Lord and drawing on His strength while doing what we could to move our plans forward step by step.

Contentment is encouragement in the Lord.

Once David the psalmist and his men returned home only to find their town had been burned to the ground and their families had been kidnapped. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (I Samuel 30:6).

Regardless of what’s going on in your life today please encourage yourself in the Lord. God makes the difference between not being able to go on and having strength to face tomorrow.

Shirley Logsdon

Further Reading:

Lessons from the Water Plant

https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2018/10/03/lessons-from-the-water-plant/

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About Shirley Logsdon

I am the only child of Christian parents who wanted me to know God personally as they did. One night during church we watched a movie depicting a family in their home accepting Jesus as their personal Savior. I was nine and realized then my desire to make Jesus my personal Savior. With the full support of my parents, I met with the pastor and prayed to receive Christ. A few years later, several of us around the same age began classes for our confirmation to become church members. The privilege of taking communion was a special time for me. . During my teenage years I was outwardly complacent, but was inwardly rebellious. I developed the nasty habit of disrupting harmony in the household by nitpicking at anything and everything. A preacher came to hold revival services at my dad’s church and nailed me silently with looks. This helped me tremendously. I turned a corner and began to respect and obey my parents in attitude and actions. I survived these years through prayer (mine, my parents and friends). The love and tenacity of my parents and God’s grace got me through these years of upheaval. I readily identify with David the Psalmist when he said in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Because my parents provided a stable home life for me, when I went to college my Christian values remained intact. After completing my education in 1979, I started working. For a while, I worked at temp agencies, then I did odd jobs. I settled down in a secretarial position in 1986 working for a firm specializing in retirement plan administration. In 2007, I started working for a law firm, eventually becoming a knowledge management assistant in their law library, helping to alert attorneys to new business opportunities. I am a productive citizen of my country in large part because my parents prayed for me and made clear by word and example what they expected of me. I am extremely grateful to God for them. John 15:5 is my life verse: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” I am confronted with this realization every day I live, and it helps keep me on the straight and narrow path. I met my future husband at church. After a few years of our two families getting acquainted, he and I started courting. We married at the church where we met, in the presence of many relatives and friends. We have been married for 29 years. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and canning or freezing what my beloved husband grows in the garden. Also, I thoroughly enjoy writing. While my writing has included poems, most of my writing has been letters to family and friends. I like to share my faith when I write and am fond of adding a Bible verse or two to help focus on the source of our life. Since I am now retired after working 38 years, I can concentrate on keeping up with birthdays. Something else I enjoy is studying the Bible, often with others. Blogging is a new form of writing for me. I am getting my feet wet and I’m beginning to enjoy the experience.

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