Finding The Secret

More Than Conquerors
July 2005

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” —1 Timothy 6:6

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty of in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” —Philippians 4:11-13

One of the most interesting paradoxes in life is the essential need to be both content where God has you at the moment, and yet always pressing on towards the goal. We were created to be dreamers, reaching for lofty goals, but we can never have peace in our lives until we learn contentment.

Contentment does not mean that we aren’t striving for the goals before us, but it means that we are satisfied with where God has us at the moment. To be content is to be happy with what you have instead of envying for what you dream of. It means serving God where you are right now instead of wishing you could be somewhere else to serve Him.

Contentment can be very difficult for those of us who dream high. We have visions of what God can do in our lives, and have a hard time giving up those dreams and being satisfied with God’s dreams instead of our own. The key to contentment lies in realizing that God’s dreams are far better than our own.

Contentment

To watch the valley from the mountain
And revel in the view
Instead of seeing someone there
And wishing it was you.

A few tips on finding contentment

1. Realize that God’s dreams are much better than ours
The cause of most of our discontentment is our dreams. We dream of how life could be better, or how wonderful life would be if we had everything we wanted, and then grow unhappy when we don’t see our dreams take shape in real life. Essentially, what we are thinking is how much better life would be if we were the ones in control! Our discontentment will disappear when we remember that God is the one who is in control, and realize that His dreams are much better than anything our finite minds can come up with. This doesn’t mean that He’s going to make us happy by supplying us with all our heart’s desires, but that His desires are really much greater than ours. God is the author of life, and has planned something wonderful for us if we will only trust Him.

2. Appreciate what you’ve been given
A discontented person looks at what he does not have, while a contented person looks at what he has. Happiness can never be found on the other side of the fence; it can only be found at the place we are standing, by appreciating what we’ve been given. We’ve been given so much that we take for granted—every second of life itself is a miracle and a gift granted by God. If we are filled with gratitude, we can’t help but be content.

3. Find your place in serving others
Many people are discontented because they are looking for value in their lives. The key to solving this discontentment is to find value by serving others. No dream come true can really bring value to a life; life has value through serving others in the place God has you right now. Even the noblest dreams, if they came true, can bring no more value to life than what we have, because God has us at the places we are at for a specific reason.

4. Believe that God’s working all things for your good
Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Even the trials in our lives God is using to strengthen us and teach us perseverance. If we really believe this to be true, then we can be content in any circumstance, knowing that God using that circumstance for our good, and we can follow James’ advice when he says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3).

5. Walk by faith
To walk by faith is to follow God’s leading as He speaks to you through the Holy Spirit. When we are walking by faith, sometimes He takes us places we don’t want to go. But only when we are following Christ’s footsteps can we be fully content, knowing that He has us in His hands, and He will take care of our future. We bring pleasure to Him by giving up our own desires and following Him, and He is glad to bless us in thousands of ways in return. Oh, the joy of being a child of God, knowing that He is in control, and we don’t have to worry about anything!

Praise report:
Rejoice with us over God’s blessings on one of our contributing poetesses: Joanna Spencer is engaged to be married to Miguel Beyer. May God bless them and their future together.

I Trust You, My Lord

I trust You, my Lord, my God.
I’ll trust you even when it’s hard.

I know I will one day slip—
Fall flat on my face as I trip.

But let me rise to my knees
And return my life to You, dear Lord, please!

For I am simply a servant to Thee—
To my Father above I must flee!

You knew the story of my life before it was begun.
You know when it started and when it will be done!

Help me to trust You, the Author of Romance.
I know nothing in my life happens by fate or chance.

You know the one who will be joined to me—
Lord help me to trust You completely!

This time I spend single, these days, or years—
Help me to always be Yours.

And when I married am—
I will still your child be, my precious Lamb!

Help me to simply trust and obey You
In everything I say and do!

I know I’ll never be completely perfect—
But I must, and will, strive to do my best.

I trust You, my Lord, my God.
I’ll trust you even when it’s hard!

—Terra Mandrell
© Terra Mandrell. Used with permission.

A Prayer Of Thanks

Thank you Lord
For letting us make
It through the night.

Thank you Lord
For giving us another
Chance to make things right.

Thank you Lord
For allowing us to be
Precious in your sight.

And thank you Lord
For living and making
Our future bright.

“JUST KEEP YOUR EYES ’PON ME”

I, too, have tasted from the
cup of weakness, yes and pain . . .
been cast down lower than low
wondered could I get up again ~

Burdens I thought I’d given up
somehow returned to mock me . . .
quenched the joy their absence brought
before stealing my victory ~

I was more hurt and tormented
than I had been in years . . .
e’en wondered if the Lord could relieve
my weariness and tears ~

With my last vestige of faith
I whispered His precious name . . .
before I knew how it was done
Jesus relit a lovely FLAME ~

At just the point of giving up
on HOPE and FAITH so dear . . .
He bathed me in His healing balm
spoke tenderly and clear ~

“I am the Lord who healeth thee
wait patiently, child”, He said . . .
“remember I was in the tomb
but quickened from the dead” ~

“Rest in me for just awhile
disappointed you shall not be . . .
I’ll raise you stronger than before
JUST KEEP YOUR EYES ’PON ME”

Mary Carter Mizrany
© June 11, 2005
Used with permission

Greener Grass

I pray that though the clouds of gray
May cast a shadow grim with fear,
And trees to howling winds may sway,
And grass be stormed with sheets of tears,
The storm will make the grass be greener,
And make your lovely flowers grow,
Your soul, refreshed, be all the cleaner,
God’s boundless mercy come to know;
And when, in hindsight, you have seen
Across the fence of great renown,
The grass that’s here—a brilliant green—
May make the grass of selfishness appear quite brown!

—Benjamin Graber

“PLEASE... DON’T PUT ME DOWN”

If I seem to you stand-offish
too aloof or laissez-faire . . .
it could be I’ve been wounded
tasted way too much despair ~

If I am not warm and friendly
please do not give up on me
someone I thought was my dear friend
betrayed . . . though you can’t see ~

Or it may not be my attitude
but the color of my skin . . .
that causes you to turn away
caring and kindness paper-thin ~

The wall that separates us was
built with stones that struck my heart . . .
leaving well-intentioned bridge unbuilt
so filled with pain that fiery dart ~

Perhaps I seem self-righteous
rigid – haughty – filled with pride . . .
PLEASE . . . DON’T PUT ME DOWN
’til you take a closer look inside ~

There’s more to me than meets the eye
just as there is more to you . . .
let’s join hands and pray for one another
ask the Lord to see us through ~

Sweet Shepherd, I entreat Thee
PLEASE . . . DON’T PUT ME DOWN . . .
closer hold me to thine heart
oh, I’m soothed so by its sound ~

Until these wounds are truly healed
apply sweet mercy’s balm of grace . . .
when strengthened by Your mighty power
life’s struggles again, Lord, I can face ~

OH, keep me safely near You
where ne’er an evil’s found . . .
purge me— mold me— by Thy will, dear Lord
but . . . PLEASE . . . DON’T PUT ME DOWN!

Dedicated to all who’ve had a bite from the apple of rejection.

May our Good Shepherd keep each of us near
His loving heart while His sweet balm heals
those wounds.

Love in Jesus,
Mary

And God Gives Us Comfort

John the Baptist paved
The way for our Lord’s entry.
He lined the path in concrete
Humbling himself in History.

He schooled us in salvation
And putting pride aside,
Repenting and turning from our sin,
Removing obstacles so Jesus could move in.

The message gave us confidence
Knowing God’s word was secure.
Not like a bud in bloom
That fades, His word makes us mature.

We look up to our Shepherd,
Who intently watches His sheep.
Our path He knows and we know Him
Because He is unique.

The creator of the Universe
Simply because He spoke.
Everything created by Him,
Created so we could cope.
He revives us when we’re weary.
As sunshine lights day rains of dreary.

He lifts us above our problems
When trials pile up high.
Like Eagles spread their wings and fly
High above the horizon
High up in the sky.

He is our sustainer, our teacher
And also our health trainer.
With power, He manages everything.
With praises, He teaches us to sing.

We are His sheep,
The herd in His pasture.
Us, He’ll always keep.
We should run to Him faster.

Comparisons

If I took all my greatest dreams
And multiplied each one by two,
The sweet result could not compare
To everything I’ll find in You…

If I was free to run with glee
To every hill embraced with charm,
The peace would not be half as deep
As if I ran into Your arms…

If I was crowned with noble fame,
And every person knew my name,
I would consider it as nothing—
A home with You is mine to claim!

—Benjamin Graber

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
—Romans 8:35, 37

If you have any comments or questions, or if you have a poem to share, please send an e-mail to bgraber@neo.rr.com

Visit our web page at http://home.neo.rr.com/thegraberclan/Fts/morethanconquerors.htm to read past issues of “More Than Conquerors”.

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