Coronavirus Contentment?

By Leighton Ford

A friend reminded me the other day that when the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians he was in prison in Rome … his own version of social isolation! He likely had chains on his feet when he dictated or wrote these famous words:

"I have learned to be content with whatever I have ... I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:11-13).

How could he possibly have imagined then, that centuries later what he wrote while stuck in jail would inspire millions around the world!

I don't like the social isolation Jeanie [Leighton’s wife and Billy Graham’s sister—Ed.] and I have to accept for the sake not only of our own health, but for others.  I need to remember what Paul wrote:  that what happened to him helped to spread the Gospel, so that in prison he dared to speak the Word with greater boldness (Phil. 1:12, 14).

Note that he wrote twice that he learned contentment.  It didn't come naturally.

I had the privilege of knowing John Stott, that great teacher and preacher who ministered around the world.  When John was in a retirement home in England, physically limited, one of his former study assistants visited him.

"John," he asked, "Are you happy?"

"No," he answered.  "But I'm learning to be content."

So here's a COVID-19 prayer:  "Lord, I don't like this isolation.  Please teach me to learn the secret of contentment.  And help me to learn that you can use this COVID-19 time to spread your Gospel.  Amen."

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Leighton Ford is president of Leighton Ford Ministries and served for nearly 20 years as chairman of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. He has traveled to 40 countries to preach and teach (initially with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) and now focuses now on mentoring younger Christian leaders.

Leighton and Jean Ford [Photo: Todd Sumlin, Charlotte Observer]

His wife, Jean Graham Ford, has personal experience with pandemics, having been a victim of polio in 1944. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association recently spoke with Jean about facing death at a young age, and asked what she would say to a COVID-19 patient today. Here is how she responded:

"Sometimes it's so difficult to trust our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet to me, there's no option. That happened to be ingrained in me, my trust in what He promises, my trust in who I know Him to be.  To become a child of God means a relationship, and it's a secure relationship that doesn't depend on illness or it doesn't depend on the weather.  It doesn't depend on what we're able to do or where we're able to go.  It's a relationship with God the Father, and that just doesn't change."

I just have to add that ten years ago, I had never heard of Leighton Ford. One night in a vivid dream, I was on a tour bus in Australia with my husband and some friends when a young man got on and sat beside me. As part of our conversation, he asked me if I was "familiar with the writing of Leighton Ford?" I said I wasn't, so he proceeded to quote some wonderful phrases from Ford's writing.

I woke somehow knowing how to spell his unusual name, wrote down a few details of the dream, and the next day was blown away to discover not only that Dr. Ford exists, but who he was and is. Born in Canada (like me), married to Billy Graham’s sister and a world-famous evangelist in his own right. I eventually got in touch with him and we have communicated on and off since, me enjoying and reviewing several of his excellent books. He recently published his memoir, A Life of Listening: Discerning God's Voice and Discovering Our Own.