…Before your head hits the pillow… Are you truly content? So before we start, what is contentment? The worldly definition of contentment is “a state of happiness and satisfaction.” The Holman Bible Dictionary defines contentment as, “An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances.” Before we talk about whether we are truly content, let’s talk about those things in us that can cause discontent. I posted a meme earlier today that stated, “I moaned when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” Now I realize that was a bit extreme, but we could easily say, “I complained that my house was too small until I met someone who had no home at all,” or “I was disgruntled about the conditions at my work, or about how my boss treats me, until I met someone who was unable to put food on his family’s table because he had no job,” or “I grumbled about how difficult it was to be a parent until I met someone who had lost their child to cancer.” These are the worldly things that can cause discontentment. So how do we deal with them? The Bible has several verses that discuss contentment. Many of the people in the Bible, who talked about their contentment, were the very people who had reason to be unhappy. While Paul was in prison in Rome, he wrote this to the church of Philippi – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13 Notice what Paul said, he LEARNED to be content whatever the circumstances. Learning is “the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught.” So it is while experiencing things that might cause discontentment that we can LEARN contentment. We must rest on the Lord’s promises to provide! Look to other Christian brothers and sisters and see how they deal with adversity, let them teach you how to be content. Job stated in Job 1:21 that – Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised. His demonstration of contentment is nothing short of amazing. Let me tell you why. Job was a solid man of God. He had seven sons and three daughters. He also owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys. He was incredibly wealthy. Then on ONE day Job received ALL of these messages, first he was told that the Sabeans had stolen all his oxen and donkeys and killed all his farmhands. Next he received the message that fire had consumed all of his sheep and all the shepherds who were tending them. And then he received a message that the Chaldeans had stolen all of his camels and killed the servants that were with them. And then to make matters nearly unbearable, he received word that a wind hit the home that all his children were in and EVERY one of them were killed! Can you imagine the pain? Wouldn’t this drive even the most ardent Christian into a state of anger and hostility toward God and complete discontentment? It was AFTER all this happened that he recited the words of Job 1:21. It is from Job that we can LEARN about contentment! I Timothy 6:6 states – Godliness with contentment is great gain. Matthew Henry’s Commentary says this about I Timothy 6:6, “Godliness is itself great gain, and, wherever there is true godliness, there will be contentment.” So if you want to be truly content strive for Godliness. So how do we become Godly? “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Rom 12: 9-13). The more Godly we become, the more contentment we will feel. Rev. Alan Hogarth writes, “So how do we as Christians keep our spiritual fervour? Do we look for quick fixes or mystical experiences? Or do we grasp what the Bible teaches, working and praying hard, disciplining ourselves and training ourselves in righteousness. Old habits die hard, new habits need to be cultivated. We need to be resolute in our desire to be obedient while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” No quick fixes, just hard work, LEARNING contentment! But remember the rewards are amazing!
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 02:05:12 +0000
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