Way Better Than It Sounds!

To correlate the phrase I was supposed to be discussing with the rest of the last post - Religion is the opiate of the masses - I say 'religion' may well be but spiritual truth isn't. When understood in practical terms, "be content" and "submit yourself to authority" seems to be a way to control groups of people. Maybe it is.

What the people who can't stand the thought of it and the people who are thrilled to take advantage of these principles don't understand is that those who follow them get way more out of it than others can know. (For years, the whole idea bugged me horribly and I traitorously, secretly believed it was a scam in a way. I don't blame myself anymore for that though, I only felt guilty because I was taught that any such thoughts were blasphemy.) How could I know the truth of the instructions if God didn't reveal it to me? All I could do was see it with my unchanged mind - in the natural world, it IS a bad idea and not a good survival skill.
Then I thought it was merely good instruction for a civilization to be run, to keep people in control. Perhaps, but who wants to be the controlled when the controllers are selfish and greedy, not looking out for the good of all?

It took God showing me the irrelevance of many things in this life before I could take it for what it is.
Being content IS practical, it keeps one from ruining his health and mental state railing against circumstances. I don't think it's possible without the spirit doing it though when things get bad. Being content doesn't negate taking advantage of opportunities that come one's way. It may be easier to recognize them when one isn't fuming at life.
Overall though, I don't think it's even that; it's knowing that a greater power is in charge. I don't believe the word "faith" means believing with no evidence. Isn't the word actually "faithfulness"? And isn't one faithful to one you know you can trust because they've SHOWN they are worth your trust?