The following blog post was originally published on August 30, 2016. —ed.
How many times do you find yourself excusing your bad attitude in the midst of trials or when things don’t go your way? If so-and-so hadn’t done this, or if such-and-such was more like that, then everything would be fine.
But circumstances will never be perfectly suited to your tastes and preferences. No one’s life is free of trouble, concern, and disappointment in this sin-stained world. We’re all going to suffer.
What matters for those of us who know and love the Lord is how we suffer. How do we endure the trials of life, and how do we respond when things don’t go according to plan?
The simple truth is that there are no circumstances that excuse a sinful response. No matter how staunch our opposition or adverse our situation, we cannot succumb to the temptation to grumble and complain. We can’t give in to dissatisfaction and let frustration reign in our hearts.
In this short audio clip—taken from a sermon titled “Contentment”—John MacArthur looks to the example of Paul and the Philippians, and the reasons why believers cannot surrender to the sin of discontent.
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It’s safe to say we all ought to pay more attention to our attitudes, and what they indicate about our trust in the Lord’s power and provision.
And for the sake of building up and encouraging one another to cultivate godly attitudes, we invite you to answer this question in the comments below: When you find yourself in the midst of discontent and sinful frustration, what verses, doctrines, or other resources help you break that pattern and realign your heart in submission to God?
