Week 3 — Thursday: Contentment In Prayer
Philippians 4:11-12
So many times, we are hit with unexpected troubles and “bumps” in the road, and we are left wondering why. We pray, and we wonder if God is answering our prayer because our situation does not change. We have only to look to Paul in Philippians 4:11-12 when he tells us, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in…” to see the message for us is to learn to accept our circumstances and be content.
Paul also gave us another example of contentment in 2 Corinthians 12:9. When faced with a health difficulty and Paul asked the Lord to heal him, God answered, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Have you looked at your circumstances and the things going on in your life? Have you wondered why something happened or is happening right now? What are others saying about your circumstances? Are they encouraging, or are they like Job’s wife when she basically said, “Give up!” (“curse God and die”)?
The enemy will want us to blame God or others to be unhappy with our situation. This is when it is important to petition God in prayer and wait for His answer. It may be He wants you in your current situation for His glory—so we should rejoice. Or, He may let you go through and come out on the other side renewed and refreshed for His glory. But, whatever the circumstance, it will be for His glory, and you will be able to rejoice. Do not lose heart; He is always in control.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26).
—CONTRIBUTED BY STEVE CARTER—
Julia Bordona
September 21, 2023 at 8:32 amRecently, my husband experienced his job being eliminated with a major corporation that he had been working for nearly 10 years. That job was an answer to prayer, and our plan was that he would retire from his position in the next 5 years or so. Oh, how I dislike change! But, isnt that what life is all about? The past 8 weeks we have been praying and waiting for God to open and close doors, and to lead my husband to the job where he may put to good use all his skills. The waiting was a challenge for me. I was confident that he would eventually be hired by a good company, but, while he was diligently applying for jobs and interviewing, I discovered that “my space” had been invaded! And, to top that off, the new job God did eentually provided this week requires that he now will work from home! God has a great sense of humor as we are now sharing a home office together. I am sure there are more changes and adjustments ahead, but I am reminded, through these prayer lessons, to give it all to God, be thankful, be content. And don’t sweat the small stuff like sharing an office because God knows our needs even before we ask for them.
Christine Pence
September 21, 2023 at 1:01 pmFinally I just got through getting catch up I missed a couple days but I did catch up finally I’m finished woohoo ready for the next one for tomorrow woohoo thank you God bless I love this this is a fun series to teach me to pray series I like this journaling and I like the devotionals and I like the scriptures and all the stuff that you guys are texting me it’s really helping me on my Christian walk and I really really like it and to be content in our Christian walks something I got to learn there was a point of over the seven years of my Christian walk that God had me feeling very very content many years ago and my friends and family and neighbors were noticing that and I was like yay Jesus I was very very content and then I kind of fell out of contentment and went back to wanting and that’s not good so now I’m praying to God and hoping that God will get me back in that place of contentment where I’m content with what he wants me to do I’m in that I’ll be content with my current living situation cuz I’m not happy where I live and I have nowhere else to go and I can’t afford to lose this place because if I lost my apartment I’d be homeless and I’m a disabled woman and I can’t afford that so I’m doing the best I can to keep this roof over my head and that’s something for another time but I mention this and in the comment because I just wanted to give you an example of how I need God to help me be content I’m not happy with where I live but I want to be content and unhappy that God has given me this roof over my head for a reason and that I have an income to pay my rent monthly and pay my bills and buy groceries and etc and things I need so I’m praying and hoping that for myself and others in this situation so I know being content and contentment in Christ is very very important and I love how the scriptures speak about this thank you all for listening God bless