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Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment - Coggle Diagram
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
Chapter 1 Christian Contentment Described
Is there any particular part of his definition of contentment that you found particularly helpful? (p19)
Burroughs states that contentment is something that must be learned, and ties that fact to his point that contentment is far more than just outward restraint or control. Do we have any men here who can attest to having to learn an inward contentment over time? What did that look like for you?
Does being inwardly contentment keep one from being able to complain or cry out to the Lord, or to be delivered from a trial? Explain.
Illustration p27
Illustration p31
In Christian culture, we know that we should be, or as Burroughs puts it, "must be" content. What better outlook should we aim for on p32? What is significant about the difference?
p34
“When God casts us down, we must be content to lie till God bids us stand up, and God’s Spirit enters into us to enable us to stand up.” Have any of you men gone through a time when God cast you down and you had to wait for him to enable you to stand up? What did that time teach you?
Chapter 2 The Mystery of Contentment
How can we be both content and yet not satisfied? P42, 43
What does Burroughs mean when he says that contentment comes not so much through addition, but subtraction? P45
What is the burden that Burroughs advocates adding to our lives for aiding us to be content? P47
P49 -- how have you seen this demonstrated in your life, or by those who you respect in your life? P50
Read P51-52. What is a good Biblical example of this?
How is the prayer "thy will be done" essential to contentment? P54
Chapter 3 The Mystery of Contentment Continued
Which of the six points in chapter 3 struck you as helpful in better understanding contentment?
Chapter 4 They Mystery of Contentment Continued
What role does the covenant play in our contentment?
Covenant in general P79-80
Particular promises of the Covenant
Do any of you men have particular promises of God that you have rested your soul upon for contentment?
Burroughs uses the illustration of a liquor bottle and the sound it makes when empty versus when filled. What point is he making, and why should it cause us to care about whether our homes are filled with complaining and whining?
This chapter talks about outlets men employ when they are not content. What are outlets that we use to make ourselves feel better. p84
Why is prayer an infinitely better choice?
Chapter 5 How Christ Teaches Contentment
Read long quote on 89. This understanding of self is key to contentment. Does this sound like how the children of our culture are being raised? Elaborate.
Is that mindset how you were raised? How has the American idol of self-esteem slowed your maturity in contentment? How did you begin to move past that outlook?
Burroughs talks about how our identity shapes our ability to experience Christian contentment. What identities did he give, and why are they so important to our ability to be content? P95-96
Why is it so important that we know our hearts? p100-101
98
Chapter 8 & 9 The Evils of a Murmuring Spirit
What are some of the reasons that Burroughs believes that murmuring is so disastrous to the Christian life?
What are some of the identities that Burroughs calls us to remember in order for us to recall how unfitting it is for a Christian to murmur. P145-146
How does murmuring affect your prayer life?
Burroughs states on pages 154-156 that murmuring suffocates a spirit of thankfulness. What stood out to you on these two pages?
What Biblical example can you think of that shows how murmuring provokes the wrath of God? (the grumbling in the exodus)
Who do we closely resemble when we grumble? p166
Chapter 6 How Christ Teaches Contentment Concluded
Contentment is wise enough to understand that the grass is not always greener. P104 and 107
Contentment trust in what God gives us as opposed to what we want. p109
How does God's great sovereignty play into the Christian's contentment? p112-113
Chapter 7 The Excellence of Contentment
How is contentment an act of worship?
How does our contentment allow for us to worship God in a way that the saints in Heaven are not capable? p132
How is contentment an act of witness? P122-123
How is contentment a form of protection against temptation? P126-127
How is contentment a way to maximize enjoyment of life? P129-130
What struck you as helpful on p131?