They said it better than me: Contentment

Several years ago I read the soul-satisfying book, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. After I finished the book, I typed up a number of quotations from that book that were particularly helpful to me. I came across that file again this week and found my heart encouraged as I read through […]

Pursuing happiness…

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield seriously said in an interview a few years before his death, “I have never been happy. My whole life has been a downer. Similarly, Katherine Hepburn once said, “I don’t know what one means by happy. I’m happy spasmodically. If I eat chocolate turtle, I’m happy. When the box is empty, I’m […]

I am contented

A traveler was making his way down a little-used back road in Oregon when his need for gasoline drew him to a run-down service station. The owner sat outside, absorbed in the view of the wilderness that lay before him. After filling the tank, making a couple of half-interested swipes at the dirty windshield, and […]

Comfort when tempted to complain

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity. Thou complainest, Christian, thou dost not enjoy thyself, fears disquiet thee, wants perplex thee; in the day thou canst not enjoy ease, in the night thou canst not enjoy sleep; […]

We glorify God by being contented

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity, Part I: “Man’s Chief End.” We glorify God, by being contented in that state in which Providence has placed us. We give God the glory of his wisdom, when we rest […]

God, please don’t give me too much (repost)

This blog was originally posted on June 11, 2010. The “fish story” is the poster-child for exaggeration. The longer the fish is dead, the bigger it grows. But fishermen are not the only ones who are prone to stretching the boundaries of a story. A 25-pound weight loss creeps up to 30, then 35 or […]

Are you content?

Are you content? Pause before you answer that question. Long-time actress and comedienne Gracie Allen once received a small, live alligator as a gag gift. Not knowing what to do with it (just what do you do with an alligator?), Gracie placed it in the bathtub with some water and left for an engagement. When […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles I’ve spotted around the internet recently: John Knight reminds us about the subtle ways in which the agenda of abortion is pushed in the media. “Three continents. Six children dead. Every headline mistaken.” is a tragic tale of the death’s of six innocent children, and a sorrowful demonstration of how far the understanding […]

A Good Read: The Art of Divine Contentment

The Art of Divine Contentment is Watson’s exposition and explanation of the contented life from Philippians 4:11 — “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (KJV). While little is known of Thomas Watson’s biographical information (we do not even know in what years he was born and died), Watson is […]

“It Is Well with My Soul”

The hymn “It is Well with My Soul,” has been well-loved and sung for many generations, not only for its words, but also for the story behind the song. Here is that story, and more of the story than you perhaps already know, and a photo of the original manuscript of the song: HT: Justin […]

Book of the Month — a Rare Jewel

The book of the month in our church bookstore is Jeremiah Burroughs’ work, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. I first read this book several years ago over the period of several months in my devotional time. It was a blessing and challenge to be exhorted towards contentment every morning for those 10-12 weeks. As […]

Happy with what you have received?

At Christmas, many presents are unwrapped and on occasion (frequently?) the revelation of what is inside is met with disappointment. The gift did not meet expectations. Life seems to work that way for some people, too. The unfolding of days and the accumulation of years yields a product that is less than what was desired […]

What is contentment?

In his article “Counseling Discontented People,” Lou Priolo has made eight statements that define and reveal what contentment is: Contentment is realizing that God has already provided everything I need to glorify and enjoy Him. Contentment is realizing that true satisfaction can only come from building one’s life around those things that cannot be taken […]

An encouragement to contentment

A favored lament of children is, “that’s not fair!” While spoken in more sophisticated tones and with a slight measure of less whining, adults have their own versions — “I just want what I’m due. I’ve worked hard.” Or, “Why are things always so hard for me? Why can’t it be easy just once?” Or, […]

Tantalized by the pursuit of pleasure

Tantalus was a mythological Greek king who stole ambrosia from the gods. For this crime, King Tantalus was sentenced to a life of eternal hunger and thirst. Whenever he would stoop to drink, the water would recede away from him. And when he reached to pluck fruit from a tree, it would lift its branches […]