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2 ways to develop contentment during times of difficulty
Contentment can sound like such a warm and inviting word, but the development of this valuable quality often grows out of the most difficult of circumstances. Consider two of Jesusâ most challenging times: his temptation in the wilderness and his submission in the garden of Gethsemane. He faces both, without even a whisper of complaint stirring across his soul.
Sometimes God withholds something from us, so that we might learn to long for something thatâs better for us.
After 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus was hungryâreally hungry. Satanâs temptation to turn the stone into bread was his slight-of-hand attempt that Jesus not learn the most from his stomachâs discontentment. Jesus response is priceless: âMan shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of Godâ (Matt. 4:4). The context of Jesus quotation is insightful. Moses writing to the second-generation Israelites reminded them of how God had worked with their parents. Of God, he said, âAnd he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORDâ (Deut. 8:3). God âlet them hungerâ so that they might learn a valuable life-lesson: how to depend upon the Lord.  They chose instead a different approach: how to complain about the Lordâs provision. Jesus understood what the Old Testament Israelites did not. Sometimes God withholds something from us, so that we might learn to long for something thatâs better for us.
Sometimes God asks us to do something we donât want to do, so that he can accomplish what is best for others.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is tested to surrender his will to his Father’s. Markâs gospel gives us a brief insight into the prayer of Jesus. âAnd he said, âAbba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you willââ (Mark 14:36). God, in his divine wisdom, knows whatâs best for others. Sometimes he uses our willingness to sacrifice to accomplish what is best in anotherâs life. Weâre good at being the recipient of Christâs sacrifice for us, but weâre not quite so skilled at making similar sacrifices for another person. Jesus teaches us how to make this sacrifice with 8 simple words: Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.
âAbba, Fatherâ is a term of endearmentâthe Aramaic equivalent to our English word, âDaddy.â Itâs the acknowledgement that Jesus knows his Father loves him (John 15:9). God wants whatâs best for Jesus, and Jesus believes that. He adds, âAll things are possible for youâ to express his confidence that his Father isnât powerless to do it another way if he would so choose. Jesus makes a request without complaint. He hems his request in by his Fatherâs love and his Fatherâs power. Without complaint, Jesus teaches us that sometimes God asks us to do something we donât want to do, so that he can accomplish what is best for others.
PHIL MOSER is the author of the Biblical Strategies series and the developer of 4M Training: a 13-week small group study for men. All of his resources can be found on amazon or at biblicalstrategies.com.
If youâre looking for a resource for your menâs group, consider 4M Training. In 13 weeks you’ll learn to Mature in your faith, Master key habits, Minister to one another, and Mentor the next generation. Click on image below to learn more.
