A contented heart is a temple where the praises of
God sound forth — not a sepulcher wherein they are buried. The Spirit of
grace works in such a heart like new wine, which, under the pressure of
sorrow, will have a vent open for thankfulness.
The discontented spirit is ever murmuring; the
contented mind is ever praising.
He who is contented with his condition, be it ever so
humble, never diminishes his spiritual treasures — he carries a pardon
sealed in his heart.
A contented Christian does not choose his own cross —
but is willing to take that which God chooses, and is content with the
kind and the duration of the cross. He will wait for God's providence to
remove it — but never force the door to escape from it.
A proud man is never contented; he thinks so highly
of himself, that small blessings are disdained by him, and under small
crosses he is impatient. The humble spirit is the contented spirit; if
his cross is light, he reckons it in the inventory of his mercies; if it
is heavy, he takes it on his knees, knowing "All things work together
for his good." Where humility is the foundation — contentment
will be the superstructure.
Contentment is a slip taken from the tree of life,
and planted by the Spirit of God in the soul.
It pleased God to bring the Apostle Paul into most
painful and trying conditions: hear him, "We are troubled on every
side!" there was the sadness of his condition; "but not distressed,"
there was his contentment. "We are perplexed," there was his sadness;
"but not in despair," there was his contentment. He could say, "In
prisons more frequent, in deaths often." Yet he could add, "I have
learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content."
Paul, in regard to his faith, was like a cedar
— he could not be moved; but in his circumstances, he was like a reed,
bending contentedly to every wind of Providence. When a gale of
prosperity blew upon him, he could bend to that. When the tempest of
trial raged, he could bend to that. "I know both how to be full, and how
to be abased." A Christian, having cast anchor in Heaven, his heart
never sinks; a gracious spirit is a contented spirit.
A contented Christian carries Heaven with him; for
what is Heaven — but that sweet repose, and full confidence, that the
soul shall have in God? In contentment there is the first-fruits of
Heaven.
A contented Christian is like Noah in the ark:
although tossed upon the waters, he reposed confidently in his God. The
soul that is safe in the ark of contentment — sits quiet and sails above
all the waves of trouble, and can even sing amid the deluge. The wheels
of a chariot are an emblem of contentment: the wheels move, the axle
stirs not. When change and motion are around us, a contented spirit
remains firm in its center.
Wicked men are often disquieted in the enjoyment
of all things.
The Christian is often contented with the lack of all things.
Impatience is the daughter of infidelity.
Contentment is an honeycomb which drops sweetness into every condition.
Discontent is a leaven which sours every comfort. It embitters every
mercy — it doubles every cross.
This holy contentment keeps the heart from fainting
in the autumn — when the fruit and leaves are gone, there is still sap
in the root. So when there comes an autumn in the history of the
Christian, and the leaves of his earthly prosperity fall off — there is
the sap of contentment in his heart. The contented heart is never out of
heart.
Spiritual things satisfy: the more of Heaven there is
in the soul, the less will earth content. The joys of God's Spirit are
heart-filling and heart-cheering.
Never look for perfection of contentment — until
there be perfection of grace.