Wednesday Night Bible Study Diseases Of The Heart Fall Quarter 2007

Lesson Three Overcoming Discontent Contentment is not self-satisfaction. Contentment: “ Freedom from care or discomfort”. - Websters or discomfort”. - Websters

From The Lord Be content with your wages. Luke 3:14 Be content with your wages. Luke 3:14 Contentment is not dependent on Contentment is not dependent on external circumstances but on the inner external circumstances but on the inner qualities of the heart and faith. Phil. 4:11. qualities of the heart and faith. Phil. 4:11. Avoid bad attitudes toward material things. Avoid bad attitudes toward material things. Hebrews 13:5 Hebrews 13:5

Foes Of Contentment 1.Covetousness- Hebrews 13:5 Lose desires that are beyond your reach. Lose desires that are beyond your reach. 2. Unbelief – Matt.6:24-34 Psalms 37:25 3. Envy - 1 Sam. 18: 8,9 Luke 15: Pessimism – Do you concentrate on the the thorns or the flowers ? the thorns or the flowers ?

Foes Of Contentment 5. Self-Pity – Pity is wasted on ourselves. Luke 15:29 Luke 15:29 6. Complaining - Deepens the thoughts of discontentment. of discontentment.

Cultivating Contentment 1. Work at it !! Paul “learned” contentment. Phil. 4:11 Phil. 4:11 2. Count your blessings – 1 Thess. 5:18 Eph. 5:20 1 Thess. 5:18 Eph. 5:20 3. Transfer your attention to higher matters. Col. 3:1 Matt. 6:33 John 4:34 Col. 3:1 Matt. 6:33 John 4:34

Cultivating Contentment 4. Keep busy and you won't have time for for those things that foster for those things that foster discontentment. discontentment. 5. “It could be worse”. 6. Cultivate a deep sense of appreciation for the simple things of life. 1 Tim. 6:8 the simple things of life. 1 Tim. 6:8