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SPIRITUAL GROWTH ARTICLES
for the
Christian Woman

BE CONTENT
AND HOPE IN CHRIST

  1. Create Margin
  2. Hearken!
  3. Invite the Lord’s Chastening through Obedience
  4. Believe and Abide
  5. Simply Surrender
  6. Worship and Pray Without Ceasing
  7. Be Content and Hope in Christ
  8. Wisely Steward Your Liberty in Christ

At this point in your walk with the Lord of your life, you are no longer complacent about obedience and you no longer abide in images because you are finding your contentment in believing and serving the Living God.

They said to Him,
”What shall we do,
that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God,
that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
~John 6:28-29

Your contentment is rooted in Christ,
not in your ability to live the ideal Christian life but
in His ability to establish you.
(Romans 16:25-27).

He has not forsaken you thus far in your spiritual growth journey, and your faith in Him has been strengthened.

NO LONGER THE PRODIGAL

In the past, you may have been like the prodigal of Luke 15:11. Father-God offered you the riches of His Life, but like the prodigal you turned away to the world instead. You didn’t really believe that Life in Christ, with the Father through the Spirit, was enough—which expressed your unbelief.

Perhaps you wanted to do something for God. You weren’t content simply being with Father-God through the chastening process He wanted to take you through by using the reality of your circumstances—a process that confirmed you were indeed His child, a process that would release you to His love.

Instead, like the prodigal, you took your Father's riches and changed your circumstances. Like the prodigal, you then experienced the pain associated with disobedience.

But the father, because of his great love for his prodigal son, was looking for him and ran to meet him upon his return. The son expressed his desire to be a servant in his father's house—a desire which revealed his changed heart. He no longer wanted to use his father's riches on himself anymore. He wasn't focused on the father's riches now but rather on service to the father from a heart of love. The prodigal found his contentment in serving his father.

You now find your contentment
in serving the living God,
which is your worship.
(Romans 12:1)

You know that you have been transformed, changed, not by your own efforts but by cooperating with God through your obedience to His will that you no longer live after the lusts of the flesh. Now your life focuses on glorying in Him.

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the might man glory in his might,
Let not the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this:

That he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord who practices steadfast Love,
justice and righteousness in the earth.
For in these things, I delight, says the Lord.
~Jeremiah 9;23-24

You no longer get your satisfaction from the praise of men—from doing something for God—but find complete contentment in Who Christ is. Belief is not only acknowledging Christ is Savior in your head but finding complete satisfaction in Him as Lord in your heart. He is your bread, water—food for real Life (John 6:35, 55). You feast on Him! His Life nourishes yours.

Unbelief—turning from God to find satisfaction in other things—becomes obvious to you. You no longer turn away from God in unbelief to find satisfaction in

  • things or lifestyles that others have, which is covetousness;

  • your self-ways because God is just too slow to bring about the change you think should be happening, which is impatience;

  • sexual relationships, which is lust;

  • retaliation, which is bitterness; and/or

  • self—either promoting your perceived “calling,” lifestyle, or ideal (how good you are) or promoting your sin (how bad you are)—which is self-exultation or pride.

From the foundation of matchless contentment in Christ—obeying, rooted, established, and abiding in and worshiping Him—you will view the reality of your circumstances and relationships with hope rather than with fear and apprehension.

Praise be to God—
you have grown,
changed from one state to another.

You are ready to move forward in liberty!

Lord,
thank You for your chastening as we obeyed.
Accept our worship of and service to You.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.
~I Timothy 6:6

Go to Part 8 of this series: Wisely Steward Your Liberty.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF A CHRISTIAN WOMAN
SERIES
Links and Navigation Help

  1. Create Margin
    Purposefully develop an environment that fosters spiritual growth.

  2. Hearken!
    Cultivate discerning the meaning of His message to you.

  3. Invite the Lord’s Chastening through Obedience
    Obey—through your personal conduct—the seemingly little things God has set before you.

  4. Believe and Abide, Part 1 of 3
    Believe and Abide, Part 2 of 3
    Believe and Abide, Part 3 of 3
    Believe Him as you abide and be released to love.

  5. Simply Surrender
    Now that the flesh has no power over you, walk in the Light and simply surrender.

  6. Worship and Pray Without Ceasing
    God seeks you to worship in spirit and in truth moment by moment.

  7. Be Content and Hope in Christ
    Serve the Living God, in Whom you find your contentment.

  8. Wisely Steward Your Liberty
    You are free indeed! Praise the Lord!

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