Ladies, I want to take a little detour from our study in Titus 2. Lord willing, we’ll get back to that in a few weeks. Recently, I’ve been meditating on the need for us as Christian women to cultivate the rare and wonderful quality of contentment in our lives. So, here goes…
My husband and I are in ministry at a small church in western Illinois, and I was privileged this morning to share with a few ladies in the church over breakfast. We looked at I Timothy 6:6-10, Now godliness with 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. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The Puritan, Jeremiah Burroughs wrote a book entitled, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, and contentment really is a rare jewel, isn’t it. I mean, you would think in the affluent society in which we live, it would be very easy to find contented people. But, on the contrary, all around us folks are complaining and grumbling. Now I’m not casting stones, for it seems that this is a battle that is common to all of us, including yours truly. We can all find something to complain about; the weather, the government, our churches, our husbands, our kids, our jobs, etc. We can be such an ungrateful, discontented lot, and yet, as Christian women, we should be the most grateful and contented people on God’s green earth. Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems that this time of the year brings out the worst in us. I don’t know if it’s all the advertising, bright lights, shopping, buying, rushing, or what, but greed and discontentment seem to abound.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss says that in every circumstance in life, we can respond in one of two ways; we can worship or we can whine. When we choose to worship, especially in difficult circumstances, there is a sweet fragrance that radiates from our lives.
While visiting a friend several years ago, I noticed a forlorn looking, lone rosebud in a little vase on her windowsill. My friend, Virginia, commented about it, “I know that rosebud is drooping, and it looks kind of pitiful. But, I just can’t throw it away yet, because it still has such a strong, sweet fragrance. As I thought about that little rosebud, I remembered some of the women I know who have the sweetest fragrance of Christ on their lives. Some of the women I reflected on are sort of “drooping” like that little rosebud. They are in hard places, facing varied trials and difficulties; yet, they have chosen to worship instead of whine. These women are a breath of fresh air, an example and encouragement to me, as well as, many others, and I am so grateful to the Lord for them.
Next time, I hope to share more on this call to contentment, but in the meantime, may the Lord help us all in the midst of shopping, baking, wrapping, and rushing to stop and give God the praise He deserves for the multitude of benefits He daily loads us with (Psalm 68:19)! May He help us in every situation to choose to worship and refuse to whine, for His glory!