Providence Linked to Contentment Pt 2

by Jenny

I just finished the book “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” by Jeremiah Burroughs a 17^th century English puritan preacher that was first published in 1648 on the subject of contentment. His desire was to “revive the drooping spirits of the saints in these sad and sinking times,” in 1648 no less. Truly there is nothing new under sun is there?

In this continuation of last Monday’s post, he shows us three things to help us understand God’s ways of dealing with His people providentially which expands point 4 from last week.

1. God’s ordinary course is that his people in this world should be in an afflicted condition – ‘Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;’ (I Peter 4:12). People who do not understand God’s ways will think it strange that Christians should suffer and their enemies prevail, but it is God’s will for his people to be afflicted so that we may be conformed to the image of Christ.

2. Usually when God intends the greatest mercy to any of his people he brings them into the lowest condition – Usually the people of God, before the greatest comforts, have the greatest afflictions and sorrows. Those who do not have a proper understanding of God’s ways think that when he brings his people into sad conditions, that he is leaving and forsaking them, and that God does not intend any great good to them. But both Joseph and David are great examples of when God intends the greatest mercy, he brings men under the greatest afflictions.

3. It is the way of God to work by contraries, to turn the greatest evil into the greatest good – The greatest good that God intends for his people, he many times works out of the greatest evil. Understanding that God when he will bring life brings it out of death, he brings joy out of sorrow, and he brings prosperity out of adversity, and many times brings grace out of sin.

So you see having a proper understanding of the providence of God can do much to alleviate the stress and anxiety that our circumstances seem to bring on which then also leads to much murmuring and discontentment. Our Loving, Merciful, and Gracious God intends (gives) ALL things for our good and His ultimate Glory (Rom 8:28).

Providence Linked to Contentment

By Jenny

Part 1

I am currently in the process of finishing a book called “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” by Jeremiah Burroughs a 17^th century English puritan preacher; truly one of the great old dead guys. This book is a compilation of sermons that he preached on the subject of contentment to “revive the drooping spirits of the saints in these sad and sinking times” and was first published in 1648. It is a slow read because of the language but also because it takes time to meditate on the depths of wisdom that comes from within this little paperback.

What he wrote over 350 years ago is still very relevant in our time. Discontentment is rampant among Christians today and is a sin that we easily fall prey to. You would think with the relative ease of comfort that we live our lives in today that it would not be so, but the human flesh is weak and is easily tempted if not on guard.

In Chapter 6 Jeremiah looks at how Christ teaches contentment and within that chapter is a section dedicated to the right knowledge of God’s providence. Therein lays four points.

1. The Universality of Providence – God’s providence reaches to every detail: not one hair falls from your head, not a sparrow to the ground, without the providence of God. Nothing befalls you good or evil. In every particular happening from morning to night every day, that there is nothing that befalls you that the hand of God is not in it.
2. The efficacy that is in providence – The providence of God goes on in all things, with strength and power, and will not be altered by our power. All our vexing and fretting will not alter and change its course. Job 18:4.
3. The infinite variety of the works of providence, and yet the order of things, one working towards another – We look at things by pieces but God looks at all things at once and sees the relation that one has to another. When God has ordered a thing for the present to be thus and thus, how do you know how many things depend upon this thing? When you want to have your will in a certain detail, you may cross God in a thousand things that may depend on that one thing.
4. The knowledge of God’s usual way in the dealings with His people more particularly – The right understanding of the way of God in his providence towards his saints. Those who do not understand the way of God are troubled with the providences of God and think them strange.

Understanding God’s providential care for us, if applied properly, can lead to a contented life. What a witness to a much discontented world! Next time we will look at three things that will help us understand God’s ways in dealing with His people.