Learn to be content!
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Contentment is not natural! Discontentment is natural: is is a result of the fall, of our sinful nature. Contentment, on the other side, is something that must be learned. The apostle Paul is a witness to it. He thanked the Philippian brethren for the offering he had received from them and told them:
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Phil 4:10-13
Did you notice it? He learned to be content! Contentment is one of the most important things you must learn in your spiritual walk.
Unfortunately, it is easier to complain than to be content.
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Contentment is not natural! Discontentment is natural: is is a result of the fall, of our sinful nature. Contentment, on the other side, is something must be learned.
In these verses, I found three truths about discontentment and reasons why we must learn to be content.
Discontentment blinds people.
Discontentment blinds people.
Most people are never content.
Most people are never content.
It is a tool the devil uses to blinds them to their own faults and blame others for what is happening to them.
They usually blame their leader.
They usually blame their leader.
Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?
Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
In other words, “You have put us in this situation!” How easy is to blame others for our situation!
The same thing happens in many churches: Discontent people will never be happy with the actions of their leader.
If the pastor is happy and cheerful, he lacks seriousness.
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If he cries during the service, he is weak or too emotional. If he does not cry, he is too hard.
If he organizes the work, he is exploiting the flock. I f he doesn’t, he does not motivate the flock.
If he speaks strongly, he irritates. If he speaks softly, he is a coward.
If he is too strict, he doesn’t have mercy. If he is merciful, he is not strict enough.
If he is sad, he lacks faith.
If he is sick, he is probably in sin.
There is not way to keep them all happy. Therefore, there is only one person I need to keep happy: God!
It was not Moses who had put them in that situation, it was God to teach them to dependence on Him and to give them a great blessing: a land of freedom and abundance.
Discontentment also blinds them to see the good things of the situation.
They do not see the good side of things.
They do not see the good side of things.
They were no longer slaves because Moses dared to face Pharaoh, even risking his own life.
They were no longer afraid that the soldiers of Pharaoh would come to kill their male newborns.
Pharaoh’s army was destroyed when Moses led them, the Israelites, through the Red Sea.
They had the water they needed in the desert because God was telling Moses what to do to provide the water.
They were on their way to the Promised Land.
But they did not see all those things. They only saw the hardships.
When you set your eyes on the negative, you’ll be discontent!
They seek for his help when in serious trouble.
They seek for his help when in serious trouble.
The people criticized, they murmured, they complained against Moses; Ah!, but when they are in trouble, who did they go to? To the one they have criticized!
“the Lord sent a fire to rage among them, and He destroyed some of them. Then the people screamed to Moses for help,” 11:1b-2
“Pray for us Moses! Moses, help us!”
Every pastor knows that, sooner or later, those whom he feeds will bite his hand. They will murmur, criticize, and complain of him. But when they are in trouble, he must be ready to help them and pray for them.
When the Lord punished Aaron and Miriam for betraying their brother Moses. Who do you think prayed for them? Moses! The betrayed praying for the betrayers!
Discontentment is contagious.
Discontentment is contagious.
The cloud of the Lord hovered over them to protect them from the inclement sun, the Lord was sending their daily food, but they were never happy.
The cloud of the Lord hovered over them to protect them from the inclement sun, the Lord was sending their daily food, but they were never happy.
Be careful if you are one of those who are never happy, because your discontentment is contagious.
It affects all those around the complainer.
It affects all those around the complainer.
Some started to murmur and complain. Rapidly, they had infected those around them.
“Soon the people began to complain about their hardship,” 11:1
“Then the foreign rabble…began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain.” 11:4 ‘We want meat!”///
Even Moses brother and sister were infected and they also started to criticize Moses, their leader:
While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman.
Stay away from complainers! Flee from them! They will poison you with their tongue:
But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
jam 3 5
But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
Once infected or poisoned, you will keep your eyes away from the good, and they’ll teach you to set your eyes on the negative.
Once infected, you will keep your eyes away from the good, and they’ll teach you to set your eyes on the negative.
Discontentment of the people affects the leader too: it discourages him!
It discourages the leader.
It discourages the leader.
“Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated.: 11:10 NLT
Moses was very aggravated by hearing so many complaints from the people. He did not deserve that, he did not need that!
Just a few months before, He was living a peaceful family life in Midian. He did not want to go back to Egypt! The Israelites had been ungrateful to him when he defended one of them from an Egyptian guard. Forty years later, he went back due to one reason only: God called him to go and demand the freedom of the Israelites.
Here again, he is with the people in the middle of desert due to one reason only: God’s calling!
But the people was tiring him with their complaints! It seems that everything he did was not right or never enough for the people. He was so discouraged that he asked the Lord to better kill him.
“I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. “So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”
num 11:14-15
Discouragement is one of the main reasons why many pastors abandon their ministry.
Discontentment displeases God.
Discontentment displeases God.
They did not realize they were not rejecting Moses, but of God!
God would answer their demand for meat, but not in a way they expected. He would punish them through their request and would let them know the reason of the punishment:
“Do you want meat? Ok! The Lord heard your whining and complains and He will give you meat, but...
You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ”
Numbers 11:20
Discontentment displeases God because:
He always seeks the best for us.
He always seeks the best for us.
No one loves you as God loves you! Therefore, whatever the Lord commands you is for your welfare; wherever the Lord leads you is for your welfare; whatever the Lord allows in your life is for your welfare. It is time that you stop whining and start obeying!
To take them to the Promised Land, God had to take them through the desert. At that moment, the desert was the best for them.
Discontentment displeases God because He expects his people to be thankful.
He wants that His people be thankful.
He wants that His people be thankful.
God’s people must be thankful!
No one acknowledged how he sacrificed his welfare and his own family to care for the people.
No one thanked God for liberating them from slavery, or for His care and provision.
Col
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Have you ever seen a verse where the people came to Moses to thank him for all the things he had done for them? I do not recall any! I challenge you to find one!
No one acknowledged how he sacrificed his welfare, his own family, and his time and energy to care for them
No one thanked him for risking his life facing Pharaoh to demand freedom for the people.
No one thanked God for liberating them from slavery, or for His care and provision. They just whined about everything!
No matter what God does or allows, we must be thankful to Him:
1 Thes 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Jesus gave His life for us, but many do not show gratitude for His sacrifice...
Thankfulness and contentment go hand on hand! When you are thankful, you see the blessing in every situation.
Discontentment blinds people, discontentment is contagious, and displeases God. Learn to be content!
