Malankara World

Wisdom from the Desert Devotionals

by L B Cowman

Contentment

June 22

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil. 4:11).

Paul, denied of every comfort, wrote the above words in his dungeon.

A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, and found everything withered and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac; and so on all through the garden.

Coming to a heart's-ease, he found its bright face lifted as cheery as ever.

"Well, heart's-ease, I'm glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened."

"No, I am not of much account, but I thought that if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a heart's-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart's-ease that I can."

***

"Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God's heritage
Can do it so well as you."

***

They who are God's without reserve, are in every state content; for they will only what He wills, and desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do; they strip themselves of everything, and in this nakedness find all things restored an hundredfold.

Yesterday | Archives | Tomorrow

See Also:

Wisdom from Desert Devotionals Archives

More Devotionals

Daily Morning and Evening Devotionals by Spurgeon

Daily Devotional: Today With Jesus

Daily Devotional: My Utmost for His Highest

Weekly Devotional

Thought for the Day

Scripture | Daily Devotionals | Weekly Devotionals |  Lectionary | Prayers | Church Fathers | Faith | History | Inspirational | Sermons | Qurbana Videos | Devotional Songs | Poems | Humor | Health | General Interest | Library - Home

-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio