Two weeks ago, we considered envy as the root sin for those struggling with transgenderism. If envy is the sin struggle, then let's consider Gospel contentment to be its antidote. Butterfield says, "Godly contentment allows us to suffer in the flesh and perceive in the soul how God's providence is perfect even when it is painful." We can all agree that contentment in God's providence sounds excellent on paper, but how can we actually be content when circumstances are challenging?
The Apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of contentment in painful circumstances (Phil. 4:11-12). I don't believe Paul struggled with gender envy, but I do think his particular struggles were real and challenging, and he learned to be content with God's plan for him. And don't miss the word "learned" above. When we sense the bitter fruit of discontentment, we must immediately repent and pursue learning contentment. An excellent resource to assist your 'learning' is The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. Consider just one of the many beautiful lines from this work: "One drop of the sweetness of heaven is enough to take away all the sourness and bitterness of all the afflictions in the world." Contentment is not ignoring the crooks in your lot; instead, it's acknowledging them entirely from the perspective of God's sovereignty.