This will probably be my last post for a few weeks as we are moving, Lord willing, Labor Day weekend. I just have had some thoughts running around in my little head I wanted to put down.
Tom heads up our newly forming college ministry at our church, Placerita Baptist Church. Our church is close to The Master's College and the students return on August 31st, when we will "kick-off" our 2ND year. I am reading through a book called Disciplines of a Godly Woman, by Barbara Hughes. This is actually my 3rd time through this book. I love this book. I just finished chapter 7 titled, "Discipline of Contentment". Some of the college aged adults whom Tom and I are close to actually came to mind , so I would like to address this post to them.
We know of several students who are going away to college this year. This is my concern for some of these students... Here's a little story from this chapter about a woman. Barbara Hughes begins by telling of a friend of theirs. A young woman in her twenties. She went to and graduated from an "elite" institution. She was "in touch"with her peers. She was intellectually curious. She kept fit, physically and spiritually. She became a faithful wife, a loving mom. Barbara goes on to say that best of all, her life was about the Gospel. She was content, but all that was almost lost. She was raised in a Christian home, with a godly heritage. In this environment she accepted Jesus Christ. Through out her early years and into college she lived for Christ. She was comfortable. A "happy" Christian. Her life took a turn when she and her husband moved out of her comfort zone and what had become comfortable to her. For the first time in her life, her faith began to waiver. Alternatives suddenly seemed appealing and the foundations of her life began to crumble. This is what she said, "All of my life I had put myself in spiritually superior and morally invincible categories. Upon hearing of the failures of other believers I would say, I would never do that!" As soon as all of what she had been accustomed to changed, her footing slipped. She drifted into spiritual darkness and was standing at a crossroad. This young woman's whole demeanor changed, her appearance changed, all, reflecting the discontentment in her soul. She felt a deep longing in her, a restlessness and dissatisfaction. Now thankfully she came out of that and back to what had been her foundation, why do you think this happened to her?
To you students who might be leaving to go to a place out of your comfort zone (and that can even be attending a college close to home), will this happen to you? Will your faith suddenly waiver towards discontentment in your Savior? Will you stray from your foundation? The faith you have so claimed to own and walk at home, will that change? Why does this happen? I have a couple of reasons I have learned, some from the chapter in this book and some of my own gleanings to spur you on towards being content or satisfied in Christ.
1) You have to learn to be independent of your circumstances and conditions, you see it is learned, it doesn't come to us naturally. It is a discipline to be practiced and prayed on. This is godly contentment. 2 Peter 1:3, ! Timothy 6:6.
2) When you start doubting that God has your best interest at heart, you will start to stir discontentment. When you stop seeking Him, you will start to doubt that He has your best interest.
3) When we stop longing for Him , discontentment arises. We forget our relationship with Him. We start to forget His character and His promises. Being too busy...Schooling before Him...
4) We are made to have a relationship with God. When we do not know Him, there will be dissatisfaction and lack of joy and pleasure in Him. This is really key! You start to become complacent, easily suede, you start to loose confidence in His Word. You forget to listen, to read and to study His Word. Then you lack applying it to your life.
These are all some reasons that we become discontent in our God. This is where the rubber meets the road for many of you students now. A lot of you leaving and being "on your own". Not having found a good, solid church to maintain solid teaching, accountability, fellowship. I have heard so many stories of solid, strong young believers, who fall away from the Lord during this time in their lives and I credit so much of it to these reasons above. Becoming discontent, not pursuing the Lord like they pursue schooling. I fear for some of these whom have become close and dear to us. I know that I have to trust them to the Lord. I will be faithful to pray for them and hold as many as I can accountable.
What are some keys towards contentment? Here's some practical application.
1) Study God's Word. Jer. 15:16, Matt. 4:4, Matt.24:35, John 6:68. God's Word does not return void. Through His Word your desire for Him grows.
2) Application. "Knowledge without application is lethal", Barbara says. I whole heartily agree. She goes on to say, "We must measure ourselves, not by our knowledge of God, not by our gifts and responsibilities in the church, but by how we pray and what goes on in our hearts." Applying this knowledge is key to contentment.
3) Don't grow lazy in your pursuit of Him. It'll be easy to let your time with Him slide, or be a give. Your not being "graded" on your time with Him, but don't lose focus of our ultimate goal of why we are here. Keep balanced, keep one foot in heaven and one foot on earth as you pursue these continued education goals.
4) Prayer. Pray to be wise to that which is not wise. To what "seems" good, but is not solid. Pray how you might be able to still serve Him, to have time with Him, to desire Him.
I would just encourage you to not become complacent, don't waiver, don't become discontent that you forget your foundation. Don't doubt all you know God to be, His proven character to you!
So, in closing, as we began this new year, I will be praying for you and with you! Run the race just as well as you have, own your faith, make a difference in keeping the Gospel central in your life this year dear ones!
Be back soon!
