Learning to Be Content

WEBVTT

00:00:01.183 --> 00:00:37.003
Few eras in our world's history compare to the horrible treatment of the Jews during World War II. In the Ravensbrück concentration camp, Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy are herded into filthy barracks, overcrowded bunks, rotting straw, and fleas. They open their smuggled Bible and read, Give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy bows her head and whispers, Thank you, God, for the fleas. And Corrie's thinking, There is no way I'm thanking God for that. Why would anyone do that?

00:00:39.390 --> 00:00:52.619
Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and today we're talking about one of the hardest but most freeing lessons in the Christian life.

00:00:48.859 --> 00:01:44.293
And that is learning to be content. Not pretending everything's fine, but finding peace and gratitude in God, no matter what our circumstances look like. Philippians chapter 4, verses 11 and 12 says, Now back to the concentration camp. Now back to the concentration camp. And Corrie notices, Guards won't step inside their bunkhouse. See, guards were known to come into the women's barracks and rape and brutalize them. Corrie came to an interesting realization.

00:01:39.492 --> 00:01:56.483
That awful flea infestation kept the soldiers away, which meant the women were free to read scripture and pray out loud night after night without interruption. What felt like misery became a kind of mercy.

00:01:57.063 --> 00:02:11.152
Paul said he had to learn contentment. Paul said, How the flea-ridden barracks became a sanctuary. That's contentment learned in the hardest classroom.

00:02:05.772 --> 00:02:18.018
Paul said he had to learn contentment too. It didn't come naturally. It didn't come naturally. By we tie our peace to our circumstances, don't we?

00:02:18.293 --> 00:02:29.372
Things like, when I get that promotion, or when the house is quieter, I'll, or when my health improves, then I'll be content.

00:02:30.092 --> 00:02:38.032
But Paul discovered something deeper. Contentment isn't about what you have or don't have.

00:02:33.532 --> 00:02:38.032
It's about who you belong to.

00:02:38.223 --> 00:03:01.712
And that's good news for us today. Because life rarely gives us perfect conditions. There always will be fleas, whether literally, whether literal or figurative. But even in those moments, God's presence can be a source of peace. Because God won't renege on his promises.

00:02:56.272 --> 00:03:01.712
And his grace is always enough.

00:03:02.122 --> 00:03:50.423
And here's what contentment looks like in practice. It's where we choose gratitude right where we are. Naming the mercies God has placed in our lives, even if we have to squint to see them. Or trusting that he's at work in ways you can't always see. And remembering that the same God who carried Paul in prison and Corey in a concentration camp is with you too. Today, try this. Write down three things you're tempted to complain about. And next to each one, write a reason you can still thank God for it. It may be a little tough. You may have to think about it. But let God retrain your heart to see his mercy in the middle of your mess.

00:03:46.022 --> 00:04:16.463
Lord, teach me the secret of contentment. Help me find gratitude, not just when life feels good, but even in the hard places. Open my eyes to see your mercy at work and anchor my peace in you alone. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, contentment isn't found in circumstances, but in Christ.

00:04:12.862 --> 00:04:22.853
Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.