Lesson 6:

A Faith that overcomes discontentment

• Understanding Discontentment– What is it?• Lack of contentment, dissatisfaction with circumstances;

A longing for something better than the present situation• “There are two kinds of discontent in this world. The

discontent that works, and the discontent that wrings its hands. The first gets what it wants. The second loses what it has. There's no cure for the first, but success and there's no cure at all for the second.” (Gordon Graham)

• Understanding Discontentment– What is it?– What causes it?• Insatiable desire• Lack of faith• Unhealthy or unrealistic expectations• Inflating one’s own self-worth • Hardships, bitterness, greed, strife, jealousy, envy

• Understanding Discontentment– What is it?– What causes it?– Who suffers from it?– What’s so bad about it?• It affects our relationship with God!• It hurts ourselves!• It causes us to hurt others!

• A Faith That Overcomes Discontentment– Faith focuses on what is truly important in life

• Matt. 6:19-34; Col. 3:1-2; Rom. 14:17– Faith focuses on counting blessings

• Psa. 23:5; Eph. 1:3; 1 Tim. 6:17; Acts 17:25– Faith focuses on becoming thankful for all things

• 2 Cor. 4:15; Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:17; 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:18; Phil. 4:6– Faith focuses on trusting God and His providence

• Phil. 4:19; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 9:8; Matt. 6:33; 7:7-11; Heb. 13:5-6– Faith focuses on trusting God and His prayer-power

• 1 Th. 5:17; Eph. 3:20-21; 1 John 5:14-15; Jas. 5:16; Gen. 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:7– Faith focuses on discontinuing all complaining & grumbling

• Phil. 2:14-15; 1 Cor. 10:10– Faith focuses on learning to be content

• Phil. 4:11-13– Faith focuses on removing anxiety from life

• Job. 14:1; Phil. 4:6-7• It was smthg Paul learned as a disciple of Christ…thru the power of

Christ.• Paul had made the best of his circumstances, incl. prison (Phil. 1:12-14)