Illus: Possibly:
• We are going to watch a parade, but the rain comes and spoils our parade
• We are going on a picnic in the park with our family, but once we spread the lunch, the rain begins and ruins our picnic
If we are going to be successful in this life spiritually, THE RAIN WILL CERTAINLY COME, but we have to let the Lord teach us how to “Sing In The Rain”.
All of us have a certain amount of pain in this life, and we have to know how to handle that pain. When it comes to pain, most of us do not have a high tolerance.
Illus: A six year old comes crying to his mother because his little sister pulled his hair.
"Don't be angry," the mother says, "Your little sister doesn't realize that pulling hair hurts."
A short while later, there's more crying, and the mother goes to investigate.
This time the sister is bawling, and her brother says...
"Now she knows."
One reason we do not like pain in this life is because we know it eventually leads to death.
Illus: Legend has it that a man stood at the pearly gates, all beat up and in a lot of pain, waiting to be admitted.
St. Peter is leafing through the "Big Book" to see if he is worthy of entering. After checking the books he said, "You know, I can't see that you did anything really good in your life, but you never did anything bad, either.” “If you can convince me of one REALLY good thing you did in your life, you're in."
The man thinks for a moment and says, "Yeah, there was this one time I was driving down the road and saw this group of really scary Hell's Angles torturing a poor girl. I slowed down, stopped, got out of my car, grabbed a baseball bat from the back seat of my car, and walked straight up to the leader of the gang - a huge guy with a studded leather jacket. As I approached him, the gang formed a circle around me. I hit him with the baseball bat and then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, ‘Leave this poor, innocent girl alone! You're all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I teach you all a lesson in pain!'"
St. Peter was impressed and says, "Really?” “And when did this happen?" The man said, "Oh, about ten minutes ago."
None of us like PAIN, but in this life, many folks have to go through a lot of pain.
The apostle Paul was such a man. But it is remarkable that a man could go through so much pain in life and do it so well. He suffered many things. The Scriptures tells us a great deal about his sufferings.
• 1 Cor. 4:9-13, “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day."
• 2 Cor. 11:24-28 “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”
Paul knew a lot about many things, but one thing he knew a great deal about was SUFFERING. He seemed to have a high spiritual tolerance for suffering, but most us of do not!
Illus: Did you hear about the man and his wife at the dentist's office?
• He said, "I want a tooth pulled and I want it pulled immediately," "We are in a big hurry, so let’s not fool around with gas or Novocain or any of that stuff, we are in a hurry!"
• The dentist said “It is going to hurt!” The man said, “I don’t care about the pain, pull it!”
• The dentist asked, "Which tooth is it?"
• The man put his hand on his wife’s shoulder and said “Open your mouth, Honey, show the dentist that bad tooth that needs pulling!”
Generally women have a higher tolerance for pain than men. Men do not like to admit that, but it is true!
Illus: A married couple went to the hospital to have their baby delivered.
Upon their arrival, the doctor said he had invented a new machine that would transfer a portion of the child’s mother's labor pain to the child’s father. He asked if they were willing to try it out. They were both very much in favor of it.
• The doctor set the pain transfer to 10% for starters for the first five minutes, explaining that even 10% was probably more pain than the father had ever experienced before.
• As the labor progressed, the husband felt fine and asked the doctor to go ahead and kick it up a notch. The doctor then adjusted the machine to 20% pain transfer. The husband was still feeling fine.
• The doctor checked the husband's blood pressure and was amazed at how well he was doing. At fifteen minutes into the labor they decided to try for 50%. The husband continued to feel quite well.
• After about 20 minutes, since the pain transfer was obviously helping out the wife considerably, the husband encouraged the doctor to transfer ALL the pain to him. The wife delivered a healthy baby with virtually no pain. She and her husband were ecstatic.
He said, “You women are a bunch of sissies. I took all the pain of the delivery and it did not affect me at all!”
Several days after the baby was born, the husband looked out and saw the mail man coming down the sidewalk and he looked terrible. He said to him, “What is the matter with you, you look terrible!” He said, “I just got out of the hospital.” The husband said, “What happened?” He said, “I was working my route like I normally do.
• And all of a sudden a light pain attacked me.
• In five minutes it got more severe,
• In ten minutes it was unbearable.
• And in 20 minutes I was screaming in misery.
“What did the doctor say the problem was?” He said, “He did not know. He said I had all the symptoms of woman having a baby!”
Most of us have a low tolerance for pain, but Paul had a high spiritual tolerance for sufferings. He learned how to handle the sufferings of life well. He learned how to SING IN THE RAIN! He had a contentment that many folks do not know much about.
Look at Phil. 4:11 again, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."
WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
Illus: "Contentment is a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be. (Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary)
When it comes to discontentment let’s look at several things. First, we need to consider -
I. THE CAUSE OF DISCONTENTMENT
It is difficult to list all the possible causes of discontentment, but one of the primary causes of discontentment is ENVY.
James 3:16, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
ENVY wants what the other person has.
Illus: ENVY was the root of Saul's behavior toward David. He was envious of the praise that the people poured on David.
There are folks who are living a discontented life because someone has something they do not have.
Illus: A guy driving a Yugo pulls up at a stoplight next to a Rolls-Royce.
• The driver of the Yugo rolls down his window and shouts to the driver of the Rolls, "Hey, buddy, that's a nice car. You got a phone in your Rolls? I've got one in my Yugo!" The driver of Rolls looks over and says simply, "Yes I have a phone."
• The driver of the Yugo says, "Cool! Hey, you got a fridge in there too? I've got a fridge in the back seat of my Yugo!" The driver of the Rolls, looking annoyed, says, "Yes, I have a refrigerator."
• The driver of the Yugo says, "That's great, man! Hey, you got a TV in there, too? You know, I got a TV in the back seat of my Yugo!" The driver of the Rolls, looking very annoyed by now, says, "Of course I have a television. A Rolls-Royce is the finest luxury car in the world!"
• The driver of the Yugo says, "Very cool car! Hey, you got a bed in there, too? I got a bed in the back of my Yugo!"
Upset that he did not have a bed, the driver of the Rolls-Royce sped away, and went straight to the dealer, where he promptly ordered a bed be installed in the back of the Rolls.
The next morning, the driver of the Rolls picked up the car, and the bed looked superb, complete with silk sheets and brass trim. It was clearly a bed fit for a Rolls Royce.
So the driver of the Rolls begins searching for the Yugo, and he drove all day. Finally, late at night, he finds the Yugo parked, with all the windows fogged up from the inside. The driver of the Rolls got out and knocked on the Yugo.
When there wasn't any answer, he knocked and knocked, and eventually the owner stuck his head out, soaking wet. "I now have a bed in the back of my Rolls-Royce," the driver of the Rolls stated arrogantly.
The driver of the Yugo looked at him and said, "You got me out of the shower to tell me THIS?"
Many cannot enjoy the blessings of God today because they cannot keep their eyes off God’s blessings on others.
We have looked at the CAUSE OF DISCONTENTMENT, now look at the ...
II. THE CURSE OF DISCONTENTMENT
Many live on Discontentment Avenue. They seem to find nothing that satisfies them.
Illus: Benjamin Franklin said, "Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."
Listen, the jails are filled with people who committed crimes because they never learned to “Sing in the Rain.” But not only are the jails filled due to discontentment in the lives of folks today, it is showing up in other areas of our life, such as:
A. DIVORCE
How many homes have been wrecked over a man or a woman discontent with their mate?
• I have heard men talk about how their wives have changed
• I wonder if they have looked in the mirror lately. They are not the specimen of manhood that they once were.
It is amazing to hear why folks are getting divorced these days.
Illus: My husband and I divorced over religious differences.
He thought he was God, and I didn't.
Illus: One woman said, “Marriage is a three-ring circus:
Engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering.”
Illus: There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman: Before marriage and after marriage.
Illus: Why were hurricanes usually named after women? Because when they go, they take your house and car.
Illus: The woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed way too qualified for the job. “Look Miss," said the foreman, "have you any actual experience picking lemons?"
"Well, as a matter if fact, yes!" she replied. "I've been divorced three times."
While it is amazing to hear why folks are getting divorces, DISCONTENTMENT IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE. Men and women are looking around, and they see other prospects for marriage and all of a sudden they are discontent with their mates.
Illus: It is like going car shopping. Some folks have a perfectly good car and then they go on a car lot that has all these shiny cars and all of a sudden the urge hits, -- TRADE!
We see discontentment in the jails, in the divorce courts, and also in-
B. DESERTION
We see pastors today going from church to church. It is not because the Holy Spirit of God is leading them. It is because when the RAIN COMES, they have never allowed God to teach them how to SING IN THE RAIN.
We have people that go from job to job. When a few problems come up, they are ready to hit the road and find another job.
It used to be that folks would stay at jobs their entire life, but now it is hard to find folks who have stayed on the same job ten years. Why? BECAUSE DISCONTENTMENT RULES THEIR LIFE!
Illus: I have learned two things about green grass. It always grows greener over the septic tank, and it has to be mowed more frequently.
We see DISCONTENTMENT in the DIVORCE COURTS, in the DESERTING of jobs but also in -
C. DEBT
How many people buy something because it was new and they think it will make them happy? Instead, they put themselves into debt and it makes them miserable. Then they find out that the new things break down just like the old things did.
Discontentment can be seen in many areas of our lives. But how can we do something about all the bad things that come our way? God wants to teach us how to SING IN THE RAIN!
We looked at the CAUSE OF DISCONTENTMENT and the CURSE OF DISCONTENTMENT, now look at -
III. THE CURE FOR DISCONTENTMENT
Look at one of the most precious verses of scriptures, 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
God knows the cares of this life are too much for us to carry, this is why God’s Word says CAST THEM UPON HIM. But notice why He tells us to cast them upon Him, “…for he careth for you.”
It does not matter what kind of RAINSTORM has come into your life, God wants to teach you to SING IN THE RAIN by simply putting those cares in his hands.
A. DRAW NIGH TO GOD
James 4:8a, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you....”
Illus: The songwriter wrote these words for our encouragement in this area..
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace."
You never find that Jesus was discontent. He is our example and we are to follow Him. He knows all about your problems.
B. DELIGHT IN WHAT GOD GIVES YOU
Psa. 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Seek for happiness, anyone can find misery. Look for the best in everyone.
Illus: A boss commented to his secretary about one of his men: "Harry has such a bad memory, it's a wonder he remembers to breathe. I asked him to pick up a newspaper on his way back from lunch, but I'm not ever sure he'll remember his way back to the office." Just then Harry burst through the door, brimming with enthusiasm. He exclaimed, "Guess what, boss! At lunch I ran into old man Jones who hasn't given us an order in seven years. Before he left I talked him into a million-dollar contract!" The boss sighed and looked at his secretary, "What did I tell you? He forgot the newspaper." -- James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 135.
Illus: Christians are like autos- when they begin to knock, there is something wrong inside. -- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990).
You can always find contentment in the Lord if you seek for it.
Illus: Talk about contentment: An dear old lady said she just had two teeth left, and she was thankful that they met.
Instead at looking at what others have, learn to be content with what God has given you.
Conclusion:
Has discontentment been a part of your life? Tell it to Jesus, He knows how to help.
We have looked at:
I. THE CAUSE OF DISCONTENTMENT
II. THE CURSE OF DISCONTENTMENT
III. THE CURE FOR DISCONTENTMENT
