Session Two: It's All About Perspective

The journey to contentment often begins when we become disillusioned with the self-absorbed life.

Perspective:  Looking through; seeing clearly; the capacity to view things in their true relation of relative importance.

God's Perspective:  Viewing our lives through God's eyes

A Recognize discontentment.
1. Accumulation of things
2. Manipulation of circumstances
3. Comparing ourselves
4. Perceived injustices
5. Irritants of life
6. Anxieties and fears
7. Overwhelmed by trials
8. Disillusioned with life

Christians are not to seek after more than God has given them.

B. Pursue contentment
Contentment must become a habit.  It can be learned.

Philippians 4:11-13 - "Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

1. Think right. 
a. Control your thoughts
b. Choose to pray.

2. Do right.  - Live for others and not for yourself.
a. Living for yourself is a fading glory.
b. Be a good steward.
c. Keep eternity in view.  This world is not my final rest.  We are just passing through. 

Session One: I'm supposed to be happy...what's the deal?

September 28th and 29th was our ladies retreat at Camp Joy.  
Our speaker - Lynn Gleiser.  
The theme:  Feathering your nest with the sweet song of contentment

These are my notes from the first session...

I Timothy 6:6 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

Contentment:  An inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace no matter the circumstances of life.  
II Corinthians 3:5 - "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."

Discontentment:  Lack of contentment; dissatisfaction with one's circumstances.

A. The Quest for Rest
We all want contentment, but go after it in the wrong way.
1. Common pursuit. 
Ecclesiastes 1:3 - "What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?"

2. Consuming pursuit.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 - "And whatsoever mine eye desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spririt, and there was no profit under the sun."

B. The Quality of Peace
1. A Knowledge of God
Study and learn the attributes of God. 
Godliness is the pursuit of God and His ways.  Learn His heart.
- Only Jesus is the one true source of the knowledge of God.

2. An Abundance of Gain
Philippians 4:6-7 - "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

How can we be unflappable and unmoved by external circumstances?

1. Never allow yourself to complain about anything - not even the weather.
2. Never picture yourself in any other circumstance or someplace else.
3. Never compare your lot with another's.
4. Never allow yourself to wish this of that had been otherwise.
5. Never dwell on tomorrow that [tomorrow] is God's, not your's.

Taken from Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dallow