From Bavinck to á Brakel: Mellow Spirituality

If trapped on a deserted island, Dr. Joel Beeke said of all the books he would take, next to the Bible, is á Brakel’s Christians Reasonable Service . Á Brakel is all pastoral. Why not Calvin’s Institiutes ? All too often Calvin’s analysis is interrupted by those ‘barking dogs’ and obscure heretics so that it’s difficult to be fully edified. And if Dr. Beeke, or yourself, were trapped on a deserted island you would definitely want to read what á Brakel has to say about divine contentment.

Satisfy my Soul

Contentment, says á Brakel, is not in the having of stuff; it comes from fulfilled desire. It has a wide and far reaching spectrum in experience and satisfaction. Some need to climb Everest while others are just as happy to golf. Yet contentment is rarely found in the fulfillment of long term or short term goals (there are always more). Conversely it’s not produced from restraint or refraining from desire –that’s merely suppression. Contentment is a disposition of the soul; the intellect, will, and affections together resting in quiet confidence, joyfully and with gratitude (in present circumstances), trusting that the Lord will cause the present and the future to turn out to their advantage.

Every Little Action

A believer’s desires should exclude evil, tend to those that are good and focuses enjoyment on the good itself. All too often original/actual sin clouds the judgment and pushes self-fulfillment beyond attainable means tending to depression. And believers have a unique emotional experience of this. In the course of sanctification, believers find contentment in the world difficult as their desires gravitate toward communion with God –something that can never be satisfied in this life.

Finding contentment is difficult but not impossible. Á Brakel’s recipe is to examine one’s circumstances either as good or something to be delivered from, looking to God for grace, mercy and peace. The foundation of contentment is God’s will, revealed in Jesus Christ which saves from the false idea of blind fate. This requires strong faith and prayer. Above all circumstances light and heavy, following after the perfect example of Christ (Matt. 26:39; John 6:38), “the love toward God’s good pleasure has the upper hand.”