IBCD Plenary Session 4: The quest for contentment

Tonight was the fourth and final plenary session for today and Dave Harvey helped us understand what the apostle Paul meant in Philippians 4:11–13 when he said “I have learned the secret to being content.”

Harvey asked the question, “How do you respond when you face an unfulfilled dream?” He pointed out that the real issue is how we respond to God when we don’t get what we want, when we want it.

One of the keys to contentment, according to Harvey, is summed up in a quote by Thomas Watson “If you have not what you desire, you have more than you deserve.” Harvey correctly pointed out that we think that because we have a goal that makes it God’s will, but we cannot fathom that he will deny us our dreams to get us where he wants us to go. “God is committed to our rescue not our success."

Harvey said, “At the heart of discontentment lies this conviction: I don’t have what I deserve. The heart of discontentment looks at others. But, the gospel tells us that we live infinitely above what we deserve. Contentment has to be something vertical and not horizontal. We get contentment by comparing what we have to what our sin deserves.”

This was one of my favorite sessions of the weekend as it drove home the amazing nature of what we receive in the gospel.

IBCD Summer Institute: Plenary Session 2 “When Sinners Say I Do: Mercy”

This marks the start of the second day of the IBCD Summer Institute, Families Shaped by Grace, and what can I say? I have been encouraged to infuse my family life with grace, challenged to see my sin for what it is, and been given the tools to counsel others (and myself) through Dark Providence.

This morning, Dave Harvey spoke on the topic of Mercy in marriage. He opened up for us Luke 6:27–36 and showed that “What it really means to follow the savior is to love your enemies.” He skillfully showed us how we are God’s enemies and yet He showed us mercy in sending His son to reconcile us to himself.

Harvey showed us what shaping family life in light of Mercy looks like:

1. Mercy is Kindness
2. Mercy in Covering
3. Mercy for Weakness

Some memorable points from this session were:

• In the cross, weakness becomes a place of mercy and forbearance.
• Patience from God does not terminate on us, it is for us to pass along.
• Of confrontation Harvey said, Mercy looks for patterns and offers observations not conclusions. Our intent is to connect a fellow sinner with their savior.

I have been so encouraged by these talks.