Creating Discontent 2

ByJim Stephens

Reading: 1 Tim 6:6-11

20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. (Colossians 2:20-23 NLT)

With Discontent (or sin, or fear, or any number of Soul Health issues) there are external and internal factors. Remember yesterday’s pollen and virus and receptor and immune anti-bodies story? With discontent, as with allergies and disease, there’s the system approach and there’s the immunity approach to overcoming:

  • External Discontent Creators: TV, social media, advertising, comparing our stuff with other people’s stuff.
  • Internal Discontent Receptors: Greed, jealousy, envy, lust, coveting, scarcity, mentality, judging others.

We must first acknowledge that making a new, more restrictive set of rules to combat Discontent is only a temporary fix. It’s like wearing a surgical mask if you have to go where people are coughing, it’s like staying indoors on a high-pollen day, it’s like being quarantined when there’s a disease epidemic. It’s wise to do in an emergency, but it doesn’t change your vulnerability in the long run!

If we only take an external approach to dealing with the external influences, we end up in quarantine. Some of the external things we might do are: Don’t watch TV, set strict limits on social media use, un-follow Discontent Creators. These are all good things, but don’t cure our allergies or give us immunity from Discontent!

On the other hand, if we take the internal approach and deal with the receptors, we’re likely to make some progress. Some things we might do are: Develop Jesus Values, practice gratitude until it oozes out of your pores, develop a generous spirit, check your soul health daily. When you come up short on this stuff, the Internal Process often looks something like this: Conviction, acknowledgment, confession, repentance, re-grace, get back on the horse!

Prayer:

Father, We’re gonna need a little help down here on this stuff! By your Spirit and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.