The Virtue of Contentment / WK 4 / Day 2

Without peace, we will not find contentment.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

The first thing that stands out to me in the scripture above is that miraculosly, the peace that the Lord blesses us with, guards our heart and my mind -giving us the ability to REJOICE ALWAYS. Always? Wow.

My husband often cautions me from using words like always and never.

(especially when I refer to his relationship with me!😜 haha!)

The only time these 2 words are truly applicable are within the borders of God’s SOVEREINGTY. (You’re right, honey)

His peace, eliminates the anxiety, fear, & confusion that comes from human reasoning, giving us the ability to recjoice…ALWAYS.

We’ll talk more about what His peace is “guarding” us from! (Something to be thinking about)

The other big STAND OUT for me in this passage is the word PRACTICE.

I Know I’m “beating a dead horse” but this idea of

PRACTICE IS CRITICAL.

We can “learn” but unless we put what we’ve learned into ACTION, we will not see change in our lives.  “God’s Word is ALive and ACTIVE.”

How can we PRACTICE what we’ve learned?

Why do we get stuck here…unable or unwilling to move past the learning?  We are lacking the practical application. The steps we need to take to follow through.  Again, why?

Out of fear? Lack of determination? Lack of commitment? Unbelief? All of the above?

We need to have a plan people.

Once a plan is in place,.,..,it then needs to happen.

What is your plan to practice what you’ve learned?

Specific time set aside for Daily Prayer & Journaling

Bible Study with others

Family prayer meetings

Corporate Worship

Serving

Scripture “tags”

HOW CAN WE ALL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR PLANS?

Accountability helps.

Who can you enlist to hold you accountable?

I encourage you to prayerfully consider this.

Lot’s to process as we “Dig DEEPER” with the Lord.

In him,