What does contentment mean? It is an inner sense of rest or peace that comes from being right with God and knowing that He is in control of all that happens to us. It means having our focus on the kingdom of God and serving Him, not on the love of money and things. If God grants us material comforts, we can thankfully enjoy them, knowing that it all comes from His loving hand. But, also, we seek to use it for His purpose by being generous. If He takes our riches, our joy remains steady, because we are fixed on Him.
Contentment also means not being battered around by difficult circumstances or people, and not being wrongly seduced by prosperity, because our life is centered on a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. So no matter what happens to us or what others do to us, we have the steady assurance that the Lord is for us and He will not forsake us.
How do we acquire contentment? The world goes about the quest for contentment
in all the wrong ways, so we must studiously avoid its ways. Paul’s words show...
The secret for contentment in every situation is to focus on the Lord--as Sovereign,
as Saviour, & as the Sufficient One. He is the Sovereign One to whom I must submit;
He is the Saviour whom I must serve; He is the Sufficient One whom I must trust.
If I know Him in these ways as Paul did, I will know contentment.
[1 Timothy 6:6-10]
“Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either.
But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.
Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.”
But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.
Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.”
[1 Timothy 6:17-19]
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous
and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous
and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
How do we acquire contentment? The world goes about the quest for contentment
in all the wrong ways, so we must studiously avoid its ways. Paul’s words show...
The secret for contentment in every situation is to focus on the Lord--as Sovereign,
as Saviour, & as the Sufficient One. He is the Sovereign One to whom I must submit;
He is the Saviour whom I must serve; He is the Sufficient One whom I must trust.
If I know Him in these ways as Paul did, I will know contentment.
So how can we cultivate contentment in Christ? How can you “want what you
already have?” The following principles are suggestions on how to cultivate
contentment in Christ:
• Beware of the effect of greed.
• Give away your possessions.
• Simplify your lifestyle.
• Appreciate growing old.
• Give away your possessions.
• Simplify your lifestyle.
• Appreciate growing old.
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