Tag: contentment

Have I learned to be content whatever the circumstances? Or am I too good at faking it, until I think I believe it? Philippians 4:10-14

Philippians 4:10-14 The Message

Content Whatever the Circumstances

10-14 I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

What Is Contentment? 

Merriam-Webster defines being contented as “feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.”

But for Christians, contentment goes beyond mere satisfaction; it roots itself in a deep trust in God’s provision and sovereignty. Contentment means aligning your desires with God’s will and finding joy and peace in His plans for your life. 

The Role of Faith in Contentment 

Faith plays a crucial role in finding and maintaining contentment. Trusting in God’s goodness, His provision, His timing can help you rest in the assurance He is in control. When challenges arise, lean on your faith and remember this: God works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  

Biblical Perspective on Contentment 

The Bible offers numerous insights into finding contentment: 

  1. Trusting in God’s Provision: Philippians 4:11-12 says, “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.” Paul’s words here highlight that we learn contentment through trust in God’s provision. 
  2. Avoiding Materialism: Hebrews 13:5 advises, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” This verse teaches that true contentment comes from knowing God is always with you, rather than acquiring material wealth. 
  3. Embracing God’s Plan: Psalm 33:11 reassures us, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Contentment involves trusting that God is good, He can’t be anything but good, and therefore His plans for you are always good. Rest in that truth to find contentment. 
Finding Contentment: Six Practical Steps 

So now that we’ve addressed the big question of “what is contentment and how do I find it,” here are practical steps to help us to embrace contentment in our daily life: 

1. Practice Gratitude 

Gratitude is a powerful antidote to discontentment. Take time each day to list things you are thankful for. This simple practice can shift your focus from what you lack to what you already have, fostering a sense of satisfaction and peace.

They don’t have to be big things.

I’m often thankful for a good tall glass of cold Coke Zero or dog’s wagging tail.  

2. Deepening our Relationship with God 

Contentment is closely tied to our relationship with God.

Spend time in prayer, study the Bible, and seek to understand God’s character and promises.

The more we grow in our knowledge and love for God, the more we will trust Him with our whole heart and mind, leading unto our greater contentment. 

3. Simplify our Life 

In our consumer-tech driven society, it is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of more—more possessions, more achievements, more experiences. Simplifying our lives by decluttering our homes, setting boundaries, and prioritizing what truly matters, all of which can help us focus upon what brings true satisfaction. 

4. Serve Others 

Acts of service can bring to us immense joy and satisfaction. When we focus on helping others, it takes our mind off our own wants and needs. Plus, our serving others is a tangible way to live out our faith, our hope and reflecting God’s love.

5. Set Realistic Goals 

While ambition is not inherently wrong, setting unrealistic goals can lead to constant striving and discontent. Align your goals with God’s will for your life and set realistic, achievable steps to reach them. Celebrate small victories along the way. 

6. Reflect on Your Purpose 

Understanding your God-given purpose can bring immense contentment. Reflect on your talents, passions, and opportunities to serve God and others. Pursue activities and goals that align with this purpose, trusting that God has a unique plan for your life. 

Contentment in Community 

Finally, remember we are not alone in your journey to answer the question, “what is contentment?” Engage with our church communities, share of our struggles and victories, encourage one another. Accountability and support from fellow believers will make a significant difference in your journey. 

I want to clarify having dreams and desires does not mean you feel discontent.

Even as my wife continues to savor pictures from our vacations, dreaming of the day we’ll leave on our as yet a still to be planned long distance, we’ll bloom where we are. We’re heavily involved in our church, have deep friendships, and care about our community. God has us here, and we will walk in His purposes. 

Sometimes we have the pleasure of meeting a Christian couple  who exudes calm, peace, and contentment even though they are living with limitations or ailments that are difficult and painful.

Or maybe they have faced heart-wrenching tragedy in the past—and yet there they are, almost too serene in their faith and so utterly joyful on every level.

When we see such people, we sometimes conclude that God must have wired them really well. We figure that such people must have been born sunny-side up with a personality and disposition that lends itself to a contented nature.

But if we think that way, we are usually wrong.

Talk to such folks long enough, and you will discover what Paul wrote to the Philippians: contentment is a learned behavior. You are not born with it.

It does not come easily for anyone. But by grace we grow, we learn, we mature.

And as we do, contentment becomes a way of life.

But it is not inevitable.

Many of us know someone who got trapped by their suffering long ago.

They turned inward and curdled into an angry, judging, resentful person.

None of us can avoid some ­level of pain, hardship, or deprivation in lives.

Our prayer is that when we face difficult times, we can learn what Paul learned over the long haul: a long lasting contentment firmly anchored in Savior Christ.

The tenth commandment— Do not covet (Exodus 20:17)— points the way to contentment.

If we always have a roving eye, hankering for our neighbor’s house, car, or spouse, there will be no end to feeling unsettled.

But with the Holy Spirit living in our hearts, filling the void that would otherwise drive us to distraction, we have peace and contentment within.

In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit ….

Psalm 27 New American Standard Bible

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the [a]defense of my life;
Whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps against me,
My heart will not fear;
If war arises against me,
In spite of this I am confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the [b]beauty of the Lord
And to [c]meditate in His temple.
5 For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His [d]tabernacle;
He will hide me in the secret place of His tent;
He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer sacrifices in His tent [e]with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
God of my salvation!
10 [f]For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, Lord,
And lead me on a level path
Because of my enemies.
12 Do not turn me over to the [g]desire of my enemies,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And the violent witness.
13 I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Covetousness —our far over the top desire to possess for ourselves what God has chosen to give to another, or Humble Contentment Exodus 20:17

Exodus 20:17 Amplified Bible

17 “You shall not covet [that is, selfishly desire and attempt to acquire] your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

The Ten Commandments end with a call to contentment, truly the other side of the bookends to where we started.  The Lord begins His commandments calling His people to love and worship only Him, to never worship any idols. God now finishes His commandments calling His people into a covenant of contentment with everything that God gifts to us, that their love and worship brings with it.  

This is a call to be thankful and content with the life that God has given you;  To not crave or desire what others have or despise what you have been given, but to be fully and utterly, perfectly thankful for the life that God designed for you.   

Excessive material consumption has become a way of life and no matter how much we obtain or have, it is never enough.  We obtain the job we thought was 100% right for us and quickly are 100% dissatisfied until we get the promotion. 

We buy the house to only desire one bigger and nicer. There is not one aspect of our life that we don’t desire more in.  Even in ministry we desire different gifts, a greater platform, or for God to bless more than He has chosen to do so.  

With all this desire never quenched, we become frustrated and ungrateful. 

It’s hard to live in peace and thanksgiving when you never have what you actually desire. 

In this frustration, sin takes root. 

We soon begin to miss all the great blessings that God has blessed us with because we are always focused on what others have or what we don’t have. 

In this 10th commandment God calls us to peace in contentment. If God wanted us to have more, we would have it.  If we needed different circumstances or abilities, we would have them.  Instead of always saying “if only this” and “if only that,” God calls us to rest in all that He has done in and through our life.  

There will always be someone who has more, is blessed differently, or is experiencing life from different angles than you.  However, there is only one you.  Only one you that He walks with daily in the exact way that He does. 

God chose you from the beginning of time. 

God desired you into existence. 

God sent His Son to die so that you one day would not.

He counts all the hairs on your head and gave you air to breathe today simply because He wants you live. Everything you have, no matter how much or little, is because God loves and cares for you.  That should be enough for true Shalom.  

The world will always gift us with disappointments and leave us thirsty. It will never provide you what you are looking for, even if you find it. 

They only part of life which truly offers peace is Christ! 

Jesus is where all of our joy comes from. 

That is why as believers we can smile while poor or rich, sick or healthy. 

We praise His name in all seasons because He is the only one that is worthy of praise. The only One that offers 100% Shalom and 100% contentment.  

In the name of God, the father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,

Pray,

Psalm 23 Complete Jewish Bible

23 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.

6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Our Seasons Spent With God Seeking Jesus: Great gains through Godliness. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

1 Timothy 6:6-8 New King James Version

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [a]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

In a surprising program on HGTV, people go looking for tiny homes.

They don’t want an enormous monthly mortgage payment, and they don’t want to accumulate all kinds of unnecessary junk in their lives.

So they look at 200-squarefoot homes instead of 2,000 square-footers.

Some of these have a master bedroom you crawl into under the rafters, a children’s bedroom under the other end of the roof, and a kitchen, dining room, bath, and living room cleverly squeezed into one surprisingly small area.

Sometimes the biggest question they have to contend with is “Do we really need that bathtub? A shower takes up less space.”

In Japan, an old farmer’s futon was folded and stored in a closet each morning.

Presto! The bedroom became an instant living room!

“If we have food and clothing,” says Paul, “we will be content with that.”

Of course, if we live in daily colder climates, we might need a place to get in out of the icy blasts and a nice sized wood burning stove to stave off the cold nights.

If we are living daily in a more tropical climate, we might want to make more of a provision for places to keep cool – perhaps jury rig some kind of refrigerator?

I don’t know – because I have never lived year round in any tropical climate so I have no idea how they would create conditions to make ice cubes for lemonade.

But whether cold, warm or neutral climates, Apostle Paul’s point is well-taken.

Materialism sets all kinds of traps and temptations that can lead us astray from seeking after the things of God, after the life of my Savior upon the path of faith.

I know as most people do The tenth commandment which says that we — Do not covet our neighbors stuff (Exodus 20:17)— points the way to contentment.

If we always have a roving eye, hankering for our neighbor’s house, car, or power tools or lawnmowers, spouse, there will be no end to feeling unsettled.

But with the Holy Spirit living deep within our hearts, filling the void that would otherwise drive us to distraction, we should all have peace, contentment within.

Seasons With Our God: Great Gains through Godliness

1 Timothy 6:6-8 The Message

6-8 A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough.

When you and think of devoutly “gaining greatness” what comes to mind?

Personally, I have found in different seasons of my life that I’ve unknowingly picked up the view that  “greatness” is only measured by my degrees of success over my degrees of my failures or how my abilities match up to someone else.

However, the Bible teaches us a completely different narrative, it teaches a more humbles truth about devout greatness.

This biblical view of greatness is radically different than what we encounter and what we would typically measure in the standards of living inside our world. 

We are taught through the Word of God our greatness is steeped in Godliness.

Greatness in these eyes of God through the living Word of God, is directly tethered to the Gospel, who Jesus is and who He has called us to be in Christ.

We are reminded that to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:19-26 New King James Version

To Live Is Christ

19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I [a]cannot tell. 23 [b]For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is  more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

Ponder that passage of text written from within a Roman prison for a moment!

That passage, the context of that passage alone, reveals how different we must more devoutly, humbly, view greatness and that it must be viewed through the lens of eyes, through eardrums and beating hearts set on a Kingdom mission.

We’re promised in the Word that we will find true contentment when we have a beating heart swelled with love, pumping out love and max desire for the Lord. 

In 1 Timothy 6, the Apostle Paul has listed for his protégé Timothy, a detailed instruction about what living for Christ with a heart of contentment looks like.

It reveals that those seeking after God, seeking after, pursuing Christ will have peace and contentment with what they have and where God has placed them.

They will trust the Lord’s provision and timing.

They will know the difference between truth and lie.

Most importantly, they will know who is of God and who is not.

This is something of great gain.

This portion of scripture is just one of the many places where we see how we should be more devoutly, humbly, measuring out of our life’s “greatness”.

It isn’t based on us – it never should be, but on how Christ has called us to live.

This biblical perspective also changes everything for you and me when it comes to devoutly seeking after and finding contentment in the seasons God has us in.

It again realigns how we value “great things”.

Personally, as a brother to three sisters, an uncle to a niece, a step father to an adult son with his own growing son, I find myself in a season of life where I’m left giving far more than I am receiving – but even that paradigm is challenged.

In my season of recovering and rehabilitating from major Cardiac Surgery, I am in a season of having to receive an extra measure of care from my loving wife.

Most of the time my familial roles comes without accolades and pats on the back most days, and without bear hugs (praise God – ouch)and that’s okay.

However, this can sometimes leave me wondering if am I really making any lasting impact on the Kingdom of God God has me currently engaged with.

Does devoutly, humbly doing my daily tasks really lead to great gain for Jesus?

Truth be Told, somedays I find myself wondering exactly how long will it take to see, bear witness to the fruit of this labor of love that I do day in and day out.

I’m sure each of you readers have in some season of God experienced this too.

Regardless of what you do on a daily basis, have you found yourself asking of God through His Son Jesus, if what you’re doing is really making an impact? 

The answer to that question is this, if you are devoutly, humbly seeking the Lord and His Son and on mission and ministry for His kingdom, then YES!.

Though it is probably unseen, we are making an impact and we are making great gains towards Godliness as you and I live for Christ where He has us.

My prayer is that in these our current seasons and circumstances in life, we will freely give God the space in our hearts to step in and take hold of all our hearts.

Let Him alone be the one to remind you that greatness is steeped in Godliness.

Let Him be the one who fills you with contentment in the roles He’s given you.

Covet the Gospel! Take the gospel forth! Covet, share the love of Jesus, and remind those around you that their “great gains” are found in Christ alone.

In the name of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 King James Version

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Lord, thank you for giving us your Word which paves the way for great gains in Godliness. Help me to look to you rather than my abilities and milestones. Help me to rest in the truth that you have called me to a life rooted in the Kingdom mission and how that alone is a great gift that will come with eternal reward – a lifetime of celebration with you. To live is Christ, to die is gain. Thanks be to God! Jesus’ name,

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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