Learning Contentment

By |Published On: September 16, 2020|Categories: 4-Minute Radio Program|
The view of a mountain range in a desert with the sun shining through mist overhead.

Welcome to Joni and Friends, where we share hope in every hardship.

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and there’s such a need for hope these days, don’t you think? So much hardship. Here we are in September, and we’re still wandering through this desert of COVID-19. I’ve pretty much remained inside the whole time, ever since back in March when sheltering in place was the order. And because of my weak lungs – can you hear them? – I’m still at high risk, and so I stay indoors. In our house. With an occasional lunch in the backyard. And after so many months, it’s not been easy, but you know what? I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I may not know all the answers; I don’t know what this flu season will bring; but I do know this – I am wedged right in the middle of God’s will. Now because of that, I’ve got contentment. I mean, I’m really content, honestly.

I remember Elisabeth Elliot once saying that “Suffering is having what you don’t want and wanting what you don’t have.” So, I guess we’re all suffering to one degree or another as we have what we don’t want, like this awful virus. We don’t want it; it’s totally disrupted our lives. Sure, we have what we don’t want. But it’s also hard when you do not have the things that you do want: like, a normal life. A normal semester at school, or a normal workday, or a normal run to the grocery store. Again, suffering is having what you don’t want and wanting what you don’t have.

So, here’s the solution to this dilemma; here’s how to find contentment when you do have what you don’t want and want what you don’t have; here it is: learn to cut back on the things you want and you’ll be content. In other words, equalize your desires to better fit your circumstances. And honestly, it works. Over time, I have had to cut back on my wants, starting with my desire to be on my feet. And because of that, my circumstances have given me a new desire, a fresh desire to run and hold fast to the Lord Jesus. Just doing that, breeds and builds contentment. It’s what happened when the Apostle Paul in that dark dungeon cut back on his desire to get out of jail. He adjusted his longings in the light of Christ’s sufficiency. When Paul did that, Jesus became more than enough whether he was “well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”   

During COVID-19, most people still have a long list of wants; they want things to be a certain way, and they’re getting frustrated because it’s just not happening. So my advice is, subtract things off of that wish list; subdue your desires to match your circumstances. We Christians may not be able to rule this virus, but we can rule our hearts. Learn to be content, the Bible says; it’s a learning process. Dial down the desires of your heart to match your life circumstances. A great Puritan, Jeremiah Burroughs, once wrote, “There is contentment when there is an evenness”—I love that word—”an evenness between our hearts and our life situations.”

Jeremiah Burroughs said a great many other things about cultivating contentment and, oh, do we need to learn his lessons. And it’s why his classic book “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” has been a favorite for years. It’s the perfect read during this difficult season, and you’ll find it on my top 10 favorite books on a reading list that I’ve posted today on joniradio.org. And hey, get a copy of his fantastic book on contentment on Amazon; I mean, it’s a classic. I’ve listed it again and other great books I love at joniradio.org.

And one more thing – we at Joni and Friends would love to pray for you and your troubles. So, share with us your prayer need today at joniradio.org.

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