4 Symptoms Of A Discontented Heart

9/14/2007

Here are some signs that your heart may be sinfully discontent. I've come up with these simply by taking a look at my own life.

  • You're convinced that something other than God will make you truly happy. I've become discontent when I thought that if I only had a certain thing, I would truly be satisfied. Are you longing to be married, or to get promoted, or to have a bigger house, or to graduate from college, to the point where you are discontent with your current circumstances? The content person says, "I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." (Psalm 16:2)
  • You regularly find yourself grumbling and complaining. When I'm discontent, I grumble and complain. I feel that I deserve better, and that I'm being unfairly treated. In reality, I'm shaking my fist in God's face and saying, "This shouldn't be happening to me." The content person on the other hand, says, "Wherever God leads me is good, blessed be His name."
  • You lack thankfulness. When I'm discontent, I'm more aware of what I don't have than what I do have. If I truly understand the gospel, I should be content wherever God leads me. My sins deserve wrath and punishment, yet God has given me mercy. He has poured out blessing after blessing upon me, and calls me His child. Charles Spurgeon said, "I have heard of some good old woman in a cottage, who had nothing but a piece of bread and a little water. Lifting up her hands, she said as a blessing, "What! All this, and Christ too?" Let this attitude be ours as well.
  • You don't trust God. Oh how easy it is to forget God in the midst of trying circumstances. How easy it is to forget that we serve a sovereign God who ordains all things that come our way. How quickly we forget, "...that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28) The content man or woman contentedly rests in the sovereignty of God, knowing that He is in control of every time the budget is tight, and every time work gets difficult, and every time it seems like marriage will never come. I need to rest in the the sovereignty of God. Do you?
Was this post helpful for you? To subscribe to this blog click here.

Posted by Stephen Altrogge at 8:55 AM  

0 comments:

Post a Comment