Being Content in a Discontented World

Are you content? Probably not as much as we're going to be in a little bit. Are you content? Most people equate being content or contentment with being happy, satisfied, comfortable, or relaxed. When I was a child, my grandmother once called me content while my brother and I were sitting on the bench eating snow cones.

We were busy, happy, crunching away, slurping on the snow cones. This is great if mine was cheery. I'm sure our faces were circled with color. We were happy. We'd been shopping all day. It was nice. Our legs were swinging on the branch. We were content. I'm sure we offered our grandmother a perfect, brief picture of contentment.

Are you content? I ask this question because contentment for most does not last very long. The snow cone disappears, and then we become unhappy, disgruntled, and restless. Discontent is the prevailing attitude of our times. I don't know if you've noticed that. This attitude has been steadily growing in the United States and across the globe now for some years. Nearly one year ago, Steve McCann and his article, A Nation of Discontent, made this disturbing observation in the American thinker. Not since the presidential election of 1932 has the American electorate been so mired in discontent. Despite the best efforts of the media to portray this discontentment as limited to the Republican base, numerous polls have confirmed a vast majority of the populace shares this same sense of disgruntledment. Perhaps no area of the American society has been so adversely impacted since 1988 as the culture.

This erosion of the culture has been driven in large part by a majority of the elites determined to impose their lifestyle choices on the rest of the population. And using the cudgel of mainstream media and the entertainment complex, they have successfully inculcated a plurality of the American people into believing that there are no moral absolutes and that the state can grant any rights that it so chooses to whomever they choose. Virtually all their actions have either benefited them financially or socially to the detriment of the rest of society. And he continues, as the 2016 election approaches, a majority of the populace is beginning to realize that they have been conned and manipulated.

If wholesale changes are not instituted soon, there will be no turning back, and potentially violent internal chaos and external threats will be inevitable. The American elites, comfortable in their current lifestyle, had better wake up to the rumbling beneath their feet before the volcano erupts. That was back October 9, 2015.

This past July, the U.S. News & World Reports published this article entitled, Discontent is a Global Disease. Briefly from this article, what we perceive to be a widening gulf between the right and the left is really just the American manifestation of a global disease.

And that disease is the widening gulf between the governing elites and their supporters on the one hand, and those they consider the great unwashed on the other. Everywhere one looks, one sees discontent percolating. People who previously resigned themselves to being on the losing side of their nation's politics are becoming emboldened.

They are angry, they are finding their voice, and they have just gotten started. Further dire view there. And this Tuesday, a few days ago, September 12th, Christine Lagarde, director of the International Monetary Fund, warned leaders in Toronto that growing inequality in wealth, income, and opportunities in many countries has added to a groundswell of discontent. Especially in the industrialized world, a growing sense among some citizens that they lack control, that the system is somehow against them. That was in Bloomberg.com, their website. And so it's not just our impression, it's not just our feeling or our perspective.

We see that across the globe, people are noticing. People are unhappy, disgruntled, resentful, and frustrated. It's the haves versus the have-nots, the powerful trampling the weak, the weak demanding more, the people feeling that life is out of control. What about you? Has this global attitude of discontent affected you? Are you content? If you and I, if we desire true contentment, and I know we do, God's Word reveals how to be content in this discontented world.

The title of my sermon is, Being Content in a Discontented World. My purpose today is to inspire us, to inspire us to trust more absolutely our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. We will consider the causes, some of the causes, of our own discontent. And then we'll study how the Apostle Paul learned to be content, so that we can live life more fully and with greater trust in God, the only wise and smart place to put our trust. The message today is that we can be content in this discontented world.

Let's start by considering possible reasons for discontent in our own lives. After all, we are human, and no one is immune to discontentment. Contentment means to be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one's own. Now repeat that. To be content is to be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one's own. The word for content in Hebrew is yah-al, which simply means to be pleased. And that's spelled Y-A-A-L, if you want to look that up. But in the Greek, the word archaeo, that word to the Greeks defines contentment as being something more deeply within oneself.

It is deeply rooted within oneself. For the Greeks, archaeo or contentment was a habit or permanent state of mind. And that's a word we often find Paul using when he talks about being content or contentment. Also interesting for the ancient Greeks, contentment was not determined by circumstances or by things in life. It was something deeply within. But let's talk about our circumstances and our situation in life.

Is that a source of discontentment for us? Are circumstances, some of the situations we're in? Perhaps some of our situations aren't what we'd like for them to be, whether we're talking financially speaking, educationally, marital. Are we content with our job, relationships? Let's think on those two situations, for an example, on jobs and relationships. How are we doing in that area? Speaking generally, my experience and what I've seen around me through the years, many people are unhappy with the jobs that they have, while others are unhappy for the jobs that they don't have. We have both sides. For some, the job is too challenging or too boring or lax advancement.

It's a dead-end job. Co-workers can be annoying, the boss overbearing. The rules to follow and the paperwork gets worse and worse each year. It's a nightmare. Of course, if you notice, wages are never quite enough and taxes tend to eat up what little pay we get. We're not always content with our situation in the job field. The circumstances surrounding relationships are often another source of discontent for us. People don't keep promises. They don't pull their own weight. They don't communicate. They hurt our feelings and they're so noisy and interfering sometimes. They're not honest and they spread gossip and rumors.

They ignore us when we want attention and irritate us when we want to be left alone. Why can't they figure that out? He said, she said, they said, and then what happens then? The drama, right? The sparks fly. We can't live with them and we can't live without them. And so relationships we find are easily made and easily broken. They're prone to division, divorce, breakups, unfriending.

They make life rather miserable. We're not always content in our relationships either. That's the area of our life circumstances or situations that can make us discontent at times. The other great area of discontent in our lives pertains to things. The things we have and the things we don't have.

Our discontented world does so much to encourage our discontent in this area. Have you noticed? The entire global economy has firmly embraced something called consumerism. What's consumerism? I'll tell you. Consumerism is the belief that it is good for people to spend a lot of money on goods and services. That's from Merriam-Webster.com. I didn't make that up. That's the actual definition. It's good to spend lots of money on goods and services. Well, the result is that we are constantly bombarded with advertisements enticing us to spend money so we can be happier.

Of course. We just have to buy the latest, newest, most up-to-date, state-of-the-art, up-to-the-minute, hottest, cutting-edge, whatchamacallit ever made. Have you noticed? iPhone 7 came out. And they're already talking about iPhone 8. Without warning, something new. Wanting to have what they have.

Wanting to have what we can't afford. All these things. They hit us. And we've got to have it. And if we didn't spend the money, it's quite possible our entire economic system would collapse faster than it already is, I might add.

Now, the same attitude about having things can seep into our way of thinking about many other things.

Even about things that are impossible to purchase, things impossible to own.

And social media does much to encourage this discontent as well.

If you think about television, what you see, advertisements, what's on the web, YouTube, whatever it might be.

Have you noticed how we're urged to have all these things? We're urged to have their good looks.

To have their luxurious hair. To have their white teeth. Their physique. Their outgoing personality, perhaps. Their intelligence. Their clothes. Their friends. Their popularity.

Their wealth. Their house. Their car. Their lifestyle. And even their happiness. And anything else they have. And that we, too, should have. And so people become jealous of others. And we, too, can become caught up in this mindset if we don't guard ourselves for it.

Why this constant dissatisfaction with life and our desire for better circumstances? Why this endless yearning desire to have what others have? What is this attitude that has overtaken society and has caused such global discontent?

We find the answer beginning in James 4, verse 1. Let's turn to Scripture and see if we can piece the answer together.

Why such global discontent, even in our own lives?

In James 4, verse 1-3, James describes the attitude that underlies the tumult in the world, and that can cause great discontent even in our own lives. James states, Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures.

James gives us the key. Perhaps the greatest threat to being content is covetousness.

Now, that's not a word you will hear mentioned in the media. That's because of its religious connotations, I'm sure. The covetousness can be at the core of much of our discontent. I'm not saying it's at the core of all of it. The covetousness can be at the core of much of what makes us discontented. We need to examine ourselves to determine whether the sin of covetousness resides in us. God defines what covetousness is. Now, you probably know the tenth commandment by heart, but let's turn back to Exodus 20 and read it with our very own eyes. Exodus 20, and we'll be in verse 17.

In Exodus 20, verse 17, we read, You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

In our booklet, the Ten Commandments, find copies of these at the back of the room. In our booklet, the Ten Commandments, covenant is described this way as an immoral longing for something that is not rightfully ours. That is usually because the object of our desire already belongs to someone else. But, covenant can also include our wanting far more than we would legitimately deserve, or that would be our rightful share, suggesting being greedy for things. The focus of the Tenth Commandment is that we are not to illicitly desire anything that already belongs to others. I wonder if we think about that in some of our feelings of discontent.

Society does nothing, of course, to discourage covetousness. Our society actually thrives on it, I think we would say. But in Luke 12.15, let's look there. Christ warns very specifically that we must not be involved with covetousness. Luke 12.15 How much of our discontent in our own lives could be due to this covetousness? Do you remember Christ's warning here in Luke 12.15? Luke 12.15 Christ said, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. In our materialistic society, there's something that may be forgotten. Christ knew that things will never give us true and lasting contentment. And more than that, covetousness can lead us away from God. People have turned their backs on God because of coveting. Paul warns us in Colossians 3.5-6 Paul warns us that coveting can become a form also of idolatry. A form of idolatry.

Colossians 3.5-6 Just to be clear, then, covetousness is not some little sin. It's not a little thing. It is a big thing. It is a big deal. We commit idolatry whenever we put our wants and desires before circumstances and things we don't have. We put that yearning for things we don't have. We put it above God. We start focusing and thinking and striving for those things more than we would strive for a right relationship with God. So in Colossians 3.5 Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Let's also turn to Ephesians 5.5. Ephesians 5.5 Paul makes clear that those who practice covetousness and idolatry will not enter God's kingdom. We are fired up, eager to be observing God's Holy Days, the Feast of Tabernacles.

We need to make sure we are obeying God's law so we can be part of the kingdom for real. In Ephesians 5.5, Paul states, For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolatry, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Covetousness is listed right there among many other sins that we may find more offensive for some reason, more odious, more disrespectful.

But in our society that is so given to covetousness, perhaps if we are not careful, we don't notice it as being such a problem. It's a problem, and we need to evaluate ourselves. And so we would be truly foolish to allow discontentment with our situations in life or circumstances, or to allow discontent because we don't have certain things to lead us away from God. Not just lead us away from God, but to turn us away ever from entering this kingdom, to having that eternal relationship with God.

And so the problem I've placed before us is that we need to learn to be content in a world that doesn't want us to be content, as God would define it. But we must learn to be content, and once we learn it, we must be busy practicing it. How? How can we become more content? You're ready to hear the answer? I am. In broad terms, the solution to our discontent depends upon our commitment to God in the choices we make.

It depends upon our commitment to God in the choices we make. We must be willing to keep the focus of our lives squarely on God and on living according to His purpose. When we are focused on living life His way, we will become more truly content, deep within ourselves, where contentment should be. And we will become less disgruntled with life's circumstances and those things that we have or do not have. Life will get much more pleasant in the right way. So we must learn to accept things as God allows them to be. That's the thing we must do. Learn to accept things as God allows them to be.

We need to learn to be satisfied with the things we have. We must learn to be content. And God even gives us direction through the words of the Apostle Paul how to be content. We'll begin in Philippians 4. Let's turn to Philippians 4 and remind ourselves, study, what does it take to be content? We'll begin in Philippians 4 with Paul's acknowledgment that he had learned to be content. He had to learn to be content.

And so we find in Philippians 4, we'll be beginning in verse 10, what we find here in Philippians 4, chapter 4. Paul is drawing close to the end of his letter to the brethren at Philippi. In this part of the chapter, he's expressing particular joy and satisfaction knowing that they have continued in the Gospel of Christ just as he taught it. He is very pleased to know that they are growing in the grace and knowledge of God.

Paul also recognizes and thanks them for their continual willingness to aid him and others in the work of the Gospel, including efforts to provide him with sustenance, with food, and other things he needed. And it's here that Paul makes an important statement about being content. Philippians 4, verse 10. He states, but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care for me is flourished again, though you surely did care that you lacked opportunity.

Talking about the times in the past. Verse 11. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. He's not talking about the state of Kentucky or the state of Texas. What condition, whatever circumstance he finds himself in, he had learned to be content. Let's understand a little more what Paul means here. Sometimes verse 11 can be a little hard to grasp. Another version of Scripture, the New International version, reads this way. Paul is saying, I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

A little more clarity there, perhaps. In other words, Paul isn't praising God for their generosity to him because he is in desperate need or destitute, and they have fulfilled that. That's not quite what he means. He doesn't want to leave the impression that God has ever left him without his needs taken care of. God has always provided for him. Instead, he's stressing the point that whatever the situation was he found himself in, he chose to be content.

It's a choice. He elaborates this idea of being content, continuing on in verse 12. He says, I know how to be abased, I know how to abound, everywhere, and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. So, no matter what circumstance he found himself in, with humble means, meager, prosperous, little or plenty, good or bad, Paul had learned to be content and satisfied. How? What secret did Paul have to contentment?

What secret? There is no secret. It's in the following verse, verse 13. Paul says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm confident many of you have used that as part of your prayer through your years. A reminder, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. So, of all these varied circumstances, all these extreme experiences in his life, all of that had taught Paul to trust God. To trust God totally, no matter what the trial, no matter what the predicament, no matter how wonderful or how terrible life can be, Paul knew he could bear it because Jesus Christ strengthened him and gave him the wherewithal to carry on. Paul's confidence in God was so sure that he was content to trust himself totally in the care of God.

Paul trusted God to always do what was best. He could always trust God to do what was best.

Let's turn over now to 2 Corinthians 11.

2 Corinthians 11.

To grasp fully Paul's profound and absolute trust in God, let's review the catalog, his list of trials and hardships Paul experienced while fulfilling God's work in these early years of the church.

Paul is well qualified to teach us about being content because he learned it through putting his trust in God through good times and bad.

2 Corinthians 11. And we'll begin in verse 24.

As we read this, note his godly attitude, his humble attitude.

He writes from the Jews, this is what he suffered, From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep, in the ocean. You can read about that in the book of Acts.

In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, people you think you could trust, in perils of the Gentiles, of strangers, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, wherever he went, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.

People he probably brought into the truth had turned on him. He had to cope with that.

Verse 27, in weariness, in toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst and fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily?

My deep concern for all the churches.

He had a lot of things to think of.

Who is weak? And I am not weak.

Who is made to stumble? And I do not burn with indignation.

He felt personally for other people in their troubles.

And he says, verse 30, If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

Those things that weaken him. Those things that make him turn to God.

How many of us have suffered like Paul?

Only God knows. Only God knows that.

But I do know, and we all know, that we each do and will have trials.

When we turn to God for strength and aid in our troubles, as Paul did, we will gain character and more of the mind of Christ.

Learning to be content by keeping our trust in God takes a lifetime.

Paul, like us, had to trust that God always, always has our best interests in mind.

Even when he does not heal us.

Even when he does not answer the prayer in the way we prefer.

Let's turn the page over to 2 Corinthians 12.

In 2 Corinthians 12, verses 7-10, when we read these Scriptures, we are reminded how Paul pleaded with God to alleviate his suffering.

He knew suffering. He truly knew suffering.

Let's read in 2 Corinthians 12, verse 7.

Unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, the things he had learned, all that God had been doing with him, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, Paul writes, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

It seems to keep him humble.

Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

My strength is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore, Paul says, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore, I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses.

All that discontent, we would add.

I do it for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then, then I am strong, Paul says.

Paul did what he could to remove his thorn in the flesh.

He took his case to God, pleading before God, three times.

But, after God refused to remove his infirmity, Paul chose to be humble.

He chose to be content.

Contentment is a choice we make.

Paul accepted what God allowed him.

He allowed him to suffer.

To grow. To become stronger for it.

Paul, I know, well understood, that God is our potter.

And we are the clay.

And that is what we, too, must never forget.

When we trust God to do what is best, then we are learning to be content.

And we must be sure here, let's be sure to grasp Christ's words to Paul, here in verse 9.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

God doesn't always answer our prayers as we desire.

And let's always remember that.

Our weakness physically, do not wonder about this.

Our weakness physically can make us stronger spiritually.

How so?

We should be pushing ourselves to get closer to God in those times.

Let our weaknesses drive us into God's hands.

In our frailty, we ought to learn to depend more upon God's strength and aid than trying to figure our problems out for ourselves and trying to fix ourselves.

We should do what we can, the rest we leave to God.

We mustn't forget that these physical bodies of ours are only temporary.

And some of us are older, and we know it more than others.

As we get older, we do recognize more and more they are temporary. And aren't we glad they are just temporary?

You see, God's concern is to prepare us spiritually, to do all He can to help us in whatever way necessary to help us be prepared, to be ready to be those sons and daughters He wants with Him in His kingdom, His eternal kingdom. Let's turn to a second set of Scriptures where Paul makes a statement about contentment. That's in 1 Timothy 6, 6-8.

We're learning about how to be content.

In 1 Timothy 6, 6-8, we see a second statement about being content from Paul.

In verse 6, Paul writes, Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

The Revised Standard Version reads, perhaps, a little more clearly, There is great gain in godliness with contentment. I kind of like that phrasing better. It's easier for me to grasp, I guess.

Continuing in verse 7, Paul says, And so as before, Paul stresses how we need to be satisfied with the things we have. We need to choose to trust God and to live according to His ways with the good things that He does allow us. We ought to be content and always be grateful for the simple mainstays of life, some of those being food and clothing. The challenge, however, is to resist covetousness. As we've already discussed, covetousness and greed shifts our focus from God and places our own desires our own ways above God. So Paul continues and warns us in verse 9 through 10, Nothing good comes from turning our backs on God. So Paul exhorts the godly to remain true, remain content in their commitment to the true riches of God. Verse 11, he says, That's where we're supposed to be looking. That's what we're supposed to be focused on.

Paul's point here echoes the teaching of Jesus Christ in Luke 16, 13, and I'm sure you remember it. In Luke 16, 13, Christ said, No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate the one and love the other, or else he'll be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Another word for riches and wealth. Cares of this world. Having our hearts torn between coveting and trusting God, will never gain us the kingdom of God.

The third set of Scriptures, Hebrews 13, just two. Hebrews 13, verse 5-6. Here we'll find Paul's third statement regarding contentment. Hebrews 13, verse 5-6.

And again, what makes Paul such a great teacher? He repeats himself. And he does it in different ways. Just as he was taught by Jesus Christ, he'll give the same idea in different ways, different facets. When we put it together, we start getting the larger picture. So again, Paul emphasizes that to be content with godliness, we must reject covetousness. So he says, Hebrews 13, verse 5, and we believe this was written by Paul, Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have. For he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, the eternal is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me? What can happen? We trust in God. Paul instructs us again to rely totally on God. In every aspect of our lives, strive, he says, to be living with our hearts and minds focused on God.

We must choose to be satisfied with the good things God allows us. Only God knows what we really need. If you ever made prayers like I have, you pray for certain things that doesn't happen. A day or so later, you forgot you even prayed about it. God knew what's best, what we really need, and he'll take care of those needs. Only God will provide the help we best need. So we must trust God to provide, and to protect, and to direct us. Don't trust this discontented world to get us guidance and protection and direction. And certainly, let's not depend upon our own carnal nature. Our own carnal nature will never put us in a good place with God. And it's comforting here to know that God will never leave us. And what a wonderful and profound thing to remember. We need to focus on that when life seems so very rough, so very tough on us. God will never leave us. Circumstances in our lives, like jobs and relationships, they'll continue to change, won't they? They will continue to change, and we'll probably continue to worry about them and fuss about them. But as we look back, we will discover that what worried us so much days ago, months ago, years ago, was really not such a big deal. It was really less of concern than we thought it would be. And the things we covet will wear out. They need to be replaced. How many of us had toys we just had to have when we were children? How many of us begged and pleaded with Mom and Dad, or some of us, that guy in that red suit, for some odd reason? We pleaded! Please, please, I need this. It's the bestest thing ever. Within days, what you pleaded for as a kid was probably busted on the floor, and it was gone. You moved on to something else. You can learn a lot about our grown-up selves by looking at our childhood selves. And even then, the things we ask for, and the things we are allowed, and the things we get, all those things we're going to leave behind one day. As we read, we cannot take it with us. So maybe we need to shift our focus onto something that we will take with us. And that is our relationship with God, holy character. God remains. God will never leave us or forsake us. And should all other people leave us, we know and we can trust that God never will. We can walk out on Him, but don't. Let's never do that. God remains. God will never leave us. Let's be turning to 1 Timothy 1-12. So what can we say about Paul? 1 Timothy 1-12.

What can we say about Paul? In so many ways, and especially as our discontented world would measure things, would measure success, Paul had an absolutely miserable life. He had an absolutely miserable life, according to the ways of the world.

His sufferings, His trials, His tribulations, as we have already seen, are arduous, daunting. Daunting in the extreme. I can't honestly say I relish going through what Paul went through. While at the same time recognizing, if that's what's best for me, then God understand. Let me go through it. We all can say the same thing.

Paul had a terrible time in life, some would say, but Paul understood the rather special position. It was a special position and role God had called upon him to fulfill. Paul was humble, and he recognized God's great mercy in his life. When we read his words in 1 Timothy 1, chapters 12-17, Paul writes, And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me. He enabled Paul. He allowed Paul. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. He didn't understand what he was doing then. In verse 14, And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love, which were in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Protos is the Greek word, meaning foremost. He was the foremost sinners, what Paul said of himself. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first, foremost, protos again. That in me foremost, Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering as a pattern, as an example to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Paul knew what his life was for. He knew why this was happening. And he concludes here now. Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen, he says. Paul had no illusions. He had no illusions. And once committed to Christ, he was never beguiled into seeking anything other than God in his eternal kingdom. He knew he was a miserable sinner, the chief of sinners, and desperately in need of God's mercy and salvation. Yet he also understood that Jesus Christ had this special role for him to fulfill. And so Paul, this foremost of sinners, became the foremost example of God's mercy. His life provides an example of the depths of God's patience, not just with Paul, but with all of us, too. The depths of God's patience and mercy for all sinners. In what great mercy God willingly gives to those who accept his calling, who commit themselves to him, and who learn to trust his love and mercy and be content. Before we conclude, let's turn to Romans 8.

If you haven't yet discovered these powerful scriptures in Romans 8, God inspired Paul to write.

If you haven't discovered these scriptures in Romans 8 yet, you need to learn to go to them often, to think of them often. I promise you, you will need these scriptures in your lives ahead.

Here we read Paul's declarations of trust in God that must be and forever remain foremost in our hearts and minds.

Romans 8, 18 Verse 28 What is purpose?

Verse 31 Sounds like a rallying cry.

Verse 37-39 Paul says that For I am persuaded, Paul says, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul persevered through every challenge because he trusted God absolutely.

Nothing, nothing, would separate him from the love of God.

So must be our commitment to God.

No matter what challenges we face in life, we must face them with God.

We can be content in this terribly, terribly discontented world.

But the choice is yours in mind to make.

Trust God.