“What Is Contentment? William S. Plumer (1802-1880) Our libraries abound with treatises on contentment. Some of them are written with great ability. Nor has there ever been much formal disputation among writers on morals respecting the obligation and excellence of this attainment. It produces results so happy and is enforced by so many urgent reasons that a man must be particularly blinded before he can regard discontent as either lawful or slightly criminal. The difficulty therefore is not so much in the want of good rules and strong reasons for guiding us into a state of contentment, as in the deep-rooted aversion of our hearts to a duty that requires our submission to the will of God. We know better than we do. Seeing the right, we pursue the wrong. We smile at the folly or frown at the wickedness of discontent in others and then follow their example. But what is contentment? And how may it be known from evil states of mind somewhat resembling it? Contentment is not carelessness or prodigality. It is not obtuseness of sensibility. It is a disposition of mind in which we rest satisfied with the will of God respecting our temporal affairs—without hard thoughts or hard speeches concerning His allotments and without any sinful desire for a change. It submissively receives what is given. It thankfully enjoys present mercies. It leaves the future in the hand of unerring wisdom. Nor is there anything in true contentment to make men satisfied with the world as a portion or as a permanent abode. The most contented person may long for the day when Christ shall call him/her home. He/She may, like Paul, be in a strait betwixt two, not knowing whether to desire to abide in the flesh for the sake of others or to depart and be with Christ, which is far better (Phi 1:23)…" Excerpt From “Free Grace Broadcaster.”
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 13:36:05 +0000
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