Nothing is Impossible
As I mentioned in my last posting this blog is connection topics from my course “Christian Perspectives: Sin and Culture” with events taking place in the world today. This week we focused on a Chapter 9 of Jerry Bridges book “Respectable Sins.” This chapter is titled “Discontentment” and explains the issues involved with the sin of being discontent. This may seem like an odd idea, because discontentment doesn’t necessarily seem like a sin. I know I had to think about it for a bit and see why it truly is a hindrance on our lives with Christ.
It is easy to be disappointed with our circumstances in life or in the result of something. Harboring this disappointment into discontentment is actually a dangerous thing. When we get upset about our circumstances in life it is actually separating us from God. Something I’ve learned during my time at LBC is that God challenges us in life, and puts us into ever circumstance to make us better suited to accomplish His will. We are indeed here to further the Lord’s Kingdom and He is constantly setting us up for success in that. When we are discontent with life, it is suggesting He made a mistake by putting us into the circumstance we’re in. Bridges uses Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God made us the way He did for a reason, we are not to question the reason, but instead use what we have for Him.
There are many different things that can cause a sense of discontentment. We talked in class this week about having physical limitations that hold someone back from their dreams, the loss of a dream can be huge cause for being discontent. Other things include physical disabilities, job loss, financial problems, singleness, childless, or something as simple as one’s appearance. There are many things that cause us to harbor discontent spirits and allow ourselves to be upset with God (often without acknowledging that is what’s happening).
Being a college student I am surrounded by people all going through similar life circumstances. The areas of discontentment that I see surrounding the people around me would be first a foremost financial situations. College students are in a constant struggle with figuring out how to pay for the education and it leads to being upset with that situation. Another common issue is dealing with singleness. You look around a college campus (especially at a Bible College) and there are couples everywhere. While there is plenty of time left in life to find a companion it tends to be a struggle for many having to be bombarded with relationships everywhere they look.
Sometimes the best way to realize discontentment is an issue and something that holds us back is to see a story of someone who should be discontent but isn’t. By avoiding discontentment they have actually began to thrive. I found a story like this from a Special Olympic athlete.
This story is about a girl who’s mom was told she would die very soon after birth after being born with Sticklers Syndrome. Instead she grew up and has accumulated 53 medals with the Special Olympics through swimming. However, this isn’t her greatest accomplishment. Karissa only has the brain development of a 12 year old and she was in a severe car accident that badly injured her shoulder, yet, she pursued on. Her best friend was a police officer who was shot in the line of duty and critically injured. He has since recovered, and she dedicated one of her medals to him while also creating on organization called Athletes for Officers. It made it possible for Special Olympic Athletes to raise money for police officers to buy bulletproof vests. She was awarded the “California Highway Patrol’s Commissioner’s Medal of Distinction.”
This story is a great inspiration for me. This is a girl who is able to understand that she has a disability and knows the impact it has on her life. Yet, she doesn’t allow it to hold her back and continues to think about others before herself. This is how we should be. I am blessed to be a college student. I am able to receive an education and use it to propel me forward in life. Instead, I often find myself upset with the costs or the current rules of the college. I should feel the blessing instead of the negatives.
If discontentment is something that you struggle with and want to learn how to handle I suggest further reading:
Works Cited:
Bridges, Jerry. Respectable Sins. NavPress, 2007.
Wright, Silas. “This 53-time Special Olympics gold medalist wasn’t supposed to live and now says anything is possible.” East Idaho News, 28 Feb. 2021.
