The following, is a13 minute excerpt of the audiobook version of Jeremiah Burroughs’ The Rare Jewel Of Christian Contentment.
Please listen through parts in order, as this is an audiobook and the initial parts lay a necessary foundation for the latter parts. See part one for a brief bio on Burroughs; part one also includes links to the Kindle version of this audiobook, and to the 3 hour 22 minute audiobook you will be listening to in this series: see CATEGORIES, Spiritual Disciplines for all parts.
Part 3:
I provided a list of talking point HIGHLIGHTS below the audiobook excerpt.
The following two points are from Part 1, and indicate the importance of learning the grace of contentment:
- The doctrine contained in Philippians 4:11 is that it is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian to be well-skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment
- These texts suggest that godliness is NOT great gain unless you also have contentment
- Spiritual contentment derives from the disposition of the heart, rather than from externals: e.g., if a child is disquieted and you give it a toy, which quiets it, that quietness came from an external thing
- Right quietude comes from within, from the disposition of one’s heart
- Contentment is not one act, but a constant state that reveals a quiet heart
- Contentment is a gracious frame [it is of the grace of God, from the Holy Spirit]
- Contentment is opposite of the three following states:
- 1), Natural quietness that some possess; 2), a sturdy resolution; 3), the strength of natural unsanctified reason
- Those who are quiet naturally, are usually dull; but one who has contentment by grace, is lively and quick to perform God’s work when called upon; and will sanctify God in his affliction [he will view the affliction as coming from the hand of God and honor Him in how he deals with it in the audience of other humans, angels, demons and God]
- If one is free from discontent, worry…, it is not enough that he not murmur, but he must honor God in his affliction: honoring God in affliction is a major thing which contributes to knowing the experience of contentment; 1-3 above lack this
- Quietness via reason also lacks honor of God: e.g., Socrates’ ability to remain stoic in the face of great distress, did not include the sanctifying of God; gracious contentment comes from principles beyond reason which will be explained in hour 2 [part 5ff] of this audiobook: examples given
- Freely submitting to and taking pleasure in God’s disposal [the providences He provides you]; a free work of the Spirit: four points
- The heart readily gives itself to God’s work when His providences are received by the godly person [providence: what He puts before you to be done]
- When, for example, you go through a distressing experience, and you realize that it is from God, you are able to become quiet and contented [for example, since having been a Christian, I have experienced being slandered on several occasions; after years of having thought on these matters, experiencing distress, and having prayed over them; I slowly began to realize, as I studied Providence, that I should not be defensive towards the people bringing the affliction because it was permitted by God the Father as a providence to conform me to the image of His Son; or to correct me in some manner. That is, being defensive; having thoughts of vengeance…are wrongheaded, these assume it is from the messenger, not the King; and who can fight with God and win? Interpreting these situations biblically has helped me to be more accepting of them, and I hope to fully receive these things soon – that is, to quit resisting and receive God’s providences; that kind of attitude will certainly facilitate contentment]
- To freely submit, indicates that force is not required; one does it willingly
- Rational understanding is also part of this type of action: if for example, a person was born in prison, then, not knowing freedom, he would not know what he was missing and could be inwardly silent from his ignorance; but if one had been born free and became imprisoned, it would be far a greater task for him to be inwardly calm, silent, content, having suffered such a great loss
- One must experience the pain of some kind of loss to exhibit biblical contentment; he called it sanctified judgment [I think that he was indicating that one’s thoughts must know the truth of his afflictive situation, and despite that, view the situation in a biblical manner such that his interpretation enables him to remain quiet internally. So what he calls “judgment,” I am calling “interpretation” regarding an afflictive situation – the self-exam pdf download linked in part 2 explains these things fully]; he gives some examples
- [A relevant example is as follows: if America becomes a communist nation, then all of us who have lived many years, decades, in a free nation and who love freedom, will immediately begin suffering a great affliction, as it will be gone very quickly; we are already suffering the loss of free speech and other God-given rights are continually being threatened…to know contentment in such a transition, and when freedom is gone, will be a huge trial for most, certainly for me]
For other similar posts in this blog, see Categories: Spiritual Disciplines; Jonathan Edwards, posts which offer a glimpse of his spiritual life; and Study Helps.