What is Wrong?

How many times do we read a blog like this one about spiritual growth and find ourselves somewhat helplessly believing the concepts to be beyond us? We may admire the spiritual aspirations, long for the heart inclinations, give full approval to the concepts, and appreciate the practical ideas - but think to ourselves, "I could never be like that. I will never achieve such godly and victorious living."

I can sympathize with that discouraged thinking; in fact, I totally agree. There are (too many) times that I seem entirely incapable of following through on what I want to do. I read what I have written and wish that it could be true of me. My posts sometimes come from what I have struggled to learn in the past, but often they come from what I am struggling to learn in the present. Sometimes in that struggle, I seem to be only at the beginning of the learning process, and I share a truth that I've learned to be the answer, but have yet to master. More than once I have considered whether I should stop writing the blog until I can get my own heart and life in order.

Maybe it's not a blog that we relate to in this way, but a testimony shared by a fellow believer, a sermon preached at church, a truth taught by a book, or simply Christ-likeness demonstrated by a friend. Whatever the source, the sentiment is the same. We find ourselves confronted with the fact that we are neither where we should be nor where we want to be in our Christian walk. We find that our passion for God, which in the past was warm and glowing, has grown cold. Instead of thinking godly and spiritual thoughts, our minds are constantly fighting ungodly and even perverse thoughts. We know that the Word of God should encourage us, but its message falls dully on our hearts. It is a struggle to read the Bible that we know we ought to love. Meaningful prayer time has become alien. As we consider these deviations from what should be true, our hearts plunge into discouragement at our inability to be "good" Christians.

If we think of the constant upward climb of the Christian life as taking place on a mountain, there are times that the trail goes into thick underbrush. Even the weeds and wildflowers grow up so thickly that we have to push through them. We maneuver through the briars, trying not to get scratched too much, and squeeze through tiny passages between branches. Other times the path resembles a forest after a brutal storm; branches or even entire trees have fallen to block the pathway and there appears to be no way through. Maybe we reach a swampy area; perhaps we are determined to wade through, even accepting that we will be wet and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the mud is so thick that we keep sinking in, our shoes are sucked from our feet, and we become mired down. We may come against a stony bank or rocky incline where progress is painstakingly slow; we have to be very careful with our footing to avoid a precipitous slide or a dangerous fall. And what if, instead of a rocky incline with some footholds, we face a sheer rock wall that stretches up and up - or our path ends at the edge of a cliff that plunges down at our feet?

With these illustrations, I am not referring to the trials and circumstances of life that present challenges and difficulties. Instead, I am referring to the spiritual battle - to that internal struggle of the heart that may or may not be prompted by a trial or life situation. Any of us who thinks he is alone in this battle is crazy. Those thoughts and feelings, however, can produce guilt, frustration, and discouragement that hinder our progress and cause us not to enjoy our relationship with God.

I'm not sure that the scenarios above each relate to distinct situations in the Christian life, but there are a number of possibilities for spiritual coldness (or the perception thereof). My next post will look at a number of possible reasons that are largely outside of our control, but I think the first place we need to look is at what is within our control. We must consider the possibility that sin or failure on our part is hindering our spiritual growth. If we are honest enough to examine ourselves openly, we will often find that sin is at least part of the problem. In David's prayers of repentance, he describes his sins as "a heavy burden [that] weigh too much" for him (Psalm 38:4). He goes "mourning all day long" (v. 6), and "groan[s] because of the agitation of [his] heart" (v. 8). In Psalm 51:12, he asks God to "restore to [him] the joy of [His] salvation." Unconfessed sin creates a great burden and weight upon our relationship with God.

Humble confession, on the other hand, has a wonderful restorative ability, bringing grace, peace, and renewal to our hearts. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit therefore to God. . . . Draw near to God. . . . Cleanse your hands . . . and purify your hearts" (James 4:6-8). If our sin and our own wrong choices have put a barrier between us and God, we must submit humbly to God, confessing those things and receiving His grace. We must examine whether we are stubbornly clinging to some sin, obstinately maintaining control over some area of our life, failing to forgive a brother, or neglecting to obey some instruction that God has given.

In addition to outright sin, we must also look at carelessness that could be hindering our relationship. Maybe we are involved in so many other things that our time for God is limited and our passion for Him grows cold. Perhaps we love and depend on other people so much that we take our relationship with God for granted. Possibly we are failing to spend time with Him as we should - in His Word, in church, in prayer - so that there is no fuel for the fire, and our heart easily grows cold. All of these things stem from human failure, and because of the weakness of our flesh, all are quite possible.

The good news is that as long as we keep pursuing God and at least have that as our intention and desire, we can keep making progress. The best news is that God keeps doing His work, often whether we want Him to or not. God started a work in us when He saved us, and He fully desires and intends for us to move toward greater and greater sanctification until the day that we stand before Him permanently and completely transformed. We may be weak and limited, but God is not, and He can continue working in our lives.

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

Strength for the Weak

Weakness comes in many areas, primarily because mere humans are not equipped to handle life on their own. The weakness may be physical - tasks that are too difficult or (more likely) too numerous. The body becomes weary when the list of jobs never ends; the person feels like he cannot do one more thing. The weakness may be emotional - crises or challenges that are too intense or too constant. The emotions become weary when life is filled with stress, pressures, changes, and sorrow; the intensity can be quite draining. The weakness may be spiritual - temptations that are too powerful or lessons that are too challenging. Even when victory is won, the process of working through these things can zap one's strength.

If man lacks the strength to meet these challenges on his own, the good news is that he is not required to do so. A Christian has God to help him. God is well able to make up the difference between the believer's feeble reserves and the strength needed to face life. Isaiah 40 shares some wonderful truth about man's weakness and God's strength.

One very comforting aspect is the realization that God is aware of the believer's weakness. Israel asserted, "My way is hidden from the LORD, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God" (v. 27).  Such a statement is completely false. God's "understanding is inscrutable" (v. 28); He knows everything about His children. This is a God who knows the name of every star and when each one is due to make its appearance (v. 26). Likewise He sees each one of His children and knows everything about them.

Along with his inscrutable wisdom, God has limitless power. God created every one of the stars (v. 26). He created the dazzling array that boggles the mind of man, and He has maintained His masterpiece for thousands of years. The stellar world continues to operate just like it should, because it is upheld by the mighty hand of God. His power does not stop there. God is everlasting; He has maintained the creation from the beginning, continually maintains it, and always will. In the midst of such fathomless responsibility, "the Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired" (v. 28).

The wonder is that this powerful God bestows His mighty power on weak man. "He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power" (v. 29). Even the strongest of men become weary; they stumble, at times badly (v. 30). God looks on those weary men; as they wait on Him, He gives them strength. He renews their strength with His own. He allows them to continue on, to walk, to run, and to mount up to the challenges ahead (v. 31). When human strength expires so quickly, God gives strength that cannot be exhausted.

Whatever the weakness is - physical, emotional, or spiritual - God can give the strength needed for the situation. That may not always seem true. Some struggles and demands seem like they will never end. It may seem that victory (or even survival) is impossible, but God is not limited. Neither does He lie. When God says He can provide the necessary strength, He can do it. At those times that a believer does not see the strength of God, he must wait on God with the confident expectation that God will give strength just like He says He will.

"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)

Book Review: Contentment

The Art of Divine Contentment by Thomas Watson

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs

These two books on the same topic say much just by their titles. Both titles indicate that Christian contentment is of tremendous value, but that it is not universally or easily achieved. Both assessments are correct. There is something appealing and beautiful about a truly contented Christian, but unfortunately there are too few Christians who really fall into that category.

Both authors were Puritan preachers in London during the 1600s. They both saw the need for preaching on this important quality of contentment. Mr. Watson stated, "A gracious spirit is a contented spirit. The doctrine of contentment is very superlative, and till we have learned this, we have not learned to be Christians." Mr. Burroughs similarly declared, "To be well skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory, and excellence of a Christian."

Some readers may be a little nervous about reading something written so long ago. For the most part, those fears are unfounded. The writing will seem a little awkward to someone accustomed to reading only modern writing, but the stylistic differences are not significant enough to prevent understanding or to mask the important message of these books. A few words are unusual ("creature" is used repeatedly to mean creature comforts), and the sentences tend to be long with multiple parts.

I understand that the style is typical of Puritan writing. One of the most noticeable things to me is the tendency to be so thorough and detailed that it may seem the authors are beating the topic to death. Some sections and chapters do seem somewhat repetitious. The overall organization is not so much an outline with everything arranged under a few major points, but more an exhaustive list that moves from one topic to another. To be fair, I believe both men originally wrote a series of sermons that were later put into book form. I believe it is also a Puritan tendency to rely on parallels in nature or life to illustrate a point. I did not always follow the connection or feel that these illustrations were valid (designed by God to teach what the author asserted). Despite these minor challenges, both books are well worth reading.

Mr. Watson's book at times seems to include rabbit trails that are not organic to the discussion, and I felt like it took him several chapters to actually get to the meat of his topic. He defines contentment as "a sweet temper of spirit, whereby a Christian carries himself in an equal poise in every condition." He presents some pertinent questions to help clarify what is okay and what is not okay regarding a believer's attitude in this area. Contentment does not require one to blindly think nothing in life is unpleasant, nor does it prevent him from talking to God about the unpleasantness or trying to change the unpleasantness through lawful means. In other words, contentment is not naivety or denial; it is a choice.

The author shares reasons for contentment. He shows why contentment is attractive and why the lack of it is not. He includes a rather lengthy section of excuses people give for why they can't be content based on their circumstances of life. He then provides arguments against those excuses. While the list may not address each person's excuse, the chapter does highlight the necessity of looking beyond the circumstances to the blessings or realizations of what God might be doing through an unpleasant situation. Watson then describes the benefits and advantages that accompany contentment and the disadvantages and pitfalls that result when it is absent. The author provides a list of characteristics of contentment to serve as a self-evaluation, and finally provides some counsel for how to develop contentment in one's life.

I found Mr. Burroughs's book to be more concisely organized than that of Mr. Watson, and Mr. Burroughs also more effectively challenged my heart and thinking. He defines contentment as "that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition." He effectively expands on each word and phrase of the definition to give a good understanding of what contentment is. He discusses the mystery of contentment by pointing out the paradoxes of things that don't make sense to the world, but that a Christian comes to understand that allow him to be contented. He tells how Christ and the Bible teach the concept of contentment. There is a section describing the benefits and blessings of being content, and then a complementary chapter describing the evils of murmuring and illustrating how unbecoming it is for a Christian. Burroughs tells how people try to rationalize or excuse their lack of contentment by making themselves the exception. He as well closes his book with recommendations for how to attain contentment.

A very important aspect of contentment that both men appropriately address is the relationship between contentment and the understanding of God's providence. While submission to providence is not equivalent to contentment, it is an important foundation. It seems that achieving contentment is dependent upon ever-increasing understanding of God's providence as well as ever-deepening levels of submission to whatever God ordains.

Because the topic of contentment is so important and also so elusive, I recommend reading both books. The concept is so foreign to Christians that the repetition and continued reminders will help to reinforce the message. If reading only one of the two, I suggest the book by Burroughs. His book is considerably longer than that of Watson, however, so someone who is not a dedicated reader may choose Watson's book for that reason. 

"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11 (NASB)

Companions of Wisdom

Proverbs 13:20 states, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." While it is true that we typically spend time with people who are similar to us, it is also true that those we spend time with have influence over us. We tend to become like them, and they will impact us for good or for evil.

Wisdom is a great companion, who in turn introduces us to a number of other great companions. Wisdom is associated with and accompanied by some other wonderful qualities. As we "hang out" with this group of stellar friends, we will profit as a result. Proverbs 8:12,14,&18 list eleven of wisdom's companions, each one of which is a different word. (I'm not smart enough to know what each of these words mean; my insights are taken from the definitions based on Strong's Concordance.)

Wisdom is the starting point. Wisdom has to do with being skillful in knowing what to do and what to say. It originates in the mind and is expressed through words and actions. Wisdom describes someone with the uncanny ability to always know just what to do.

The first companion is prudence. If the word were used in a negative sense, it would involve trickery, having just the right twist to fool people. This is a positive word, though; it involves having just the right twist or stratagem to give clarity or understanding.

The second companion is knowledge. This describes someone who is cunning or aware. It is someone who gains knowledge based on his observations. He sees something and is able to learn it.

The third companion is discretion. Discretion is an expression of sagacity; it is based on a plan. This describes someone who is able to consider a situation and come up with a plan to follow to give the best result.

The fourth companion is counsel. This is the ability to give advice and to guide others. It considers the situation and then presents a deliberate answer or direction to follow.

The fifth companion is sound wisdom. This would be used in talking about an undertaking or an enterprise, some project that is about to be launched. Sound wisdom gives support, understanding, and direction to help that project to be successful.

The sixth companion is understanding. This involves being able to evaluate and tell the difference between things. It is the ability to distinguish differences, perhaps subtle, and to cunningly discern the advantages or disadvantages of each component.

The seventh companion is power. The word comes from the idea of a powerful warrior or valiant champion, one who is able to meet extreme challenges and have the strength to gain victory over them.

The eighth companion is riches. This simply refers to the ability to accumulate wealth and to grow rich.

The ninth companion is honor. It has to do with giving something the proper weight or recognition that it deserves and is worthy of. It is splendor relegated based on the attributes or qualifications of the object or person in question.

The tenth companion is enduring wealth. Beyond just riches, these are resources with lasting quality. Instead of depreciating, they hold their value over time. They are solid, respected dividends brought about through solid, respected efforts.

The eleventh companion is righteousness. This is a moral rightness found in someone who has cleansed himself from impurity. He stands for justice and virtue, and he does what is right.

The fact that these great qualities accompany wisdom should not be surprising. They are pretty natural applications of Bible-based wisdom. A prudent person  uses godly wisdom to understand that extra little something that gives clarity to a situation. Biblical wisdom gives the right framework for properly observing and having knowledge of one's surroundings. Wisdom from the Word gives the discretion needed to devise the proper plan. God's wisdom allows a believer to give profitable counsel to others rather than just his own opinions. Wisdom from above fosters the soundness needed to direct projects properly. This wisdom based on the Bible enables a believer to have an understanding that distinguishes between things of differing value. God's wisdom gives power, as the energies are wisely directed in the best direction to adequately meet the challenges. Wisdom leads to good business sense, and riches come as the believer makes wise choices. Honor accompanies wisdom, as the worth of God's wisdom is manifested to others. More important than mere riches, Biblical wisdom promotes enduring wealth, bringing prosperity that is truly worthwhile and that will yield long-term benefit. Finally, godly wisdom will enable a believer to life a righteous and upright life as he makes the proper choices according to God's Word.

These wonderful qualities are found "along the way" as one pursues wisdom. Because of their close association with wisdom, they are logical by-products and come quite naturally to one who learns wisdom. Wisdom, in turn, comes as the fear of the Lord causes a believer to search His Word so that he can know God better and understand how to please Him. With such phenomenal benefits available through the study of the Word, why would a believer not want to spend time in it?

"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness." Proverbs 8:12,14,18 (NASB)