CONTENTMENT


The word contentment means happiness with one's situation in life. Another definition is a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5(NKJV)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8(NKJV)


We place our money in a bank because our money is secure there. We place our trust in the Lord God. The security of a home in heaven is the assurance of each faithful Christian. We should be content with what we have knowing that Jesus has a home in heaven ready and waiting for us.

We read in Proverbs 15:16," Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble."

Proverbs 13:10," By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom. "

There are three levels of the Christian life. First, there is the realization of a life that is unfulfilled. We have the next, the partial life. The last level is fulfillment. This fulfillment is a result of our allowing Christ to dwell within us.

We have a place prepared for us in heaven if we have been found faithful until death. There is not anything that can interfere with the faithful Christian's soul which is safe with Jesus Christ. Having this knowledge allows us to have total contentment.

" Now godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

Philippians 4:12-13," I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

A survey of 2500 working age people were asked about a series of choices based on their having all the monetary sources needed. Money, if you possess enough, can get you an amount of happiness. The cost was figured to be over three million U.S. dollars. To arrive at this amount, choices included food, cars, vacations, etc.; people would determine if money were no object. This shows us that people everywhere are looking for contentment.

We read in James 3:16," For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. "

In the study mentioned above, it was concluded it would take an average worker at an average pay rate, 94 years to save the needed monetary resources to attain financial happiness. We will have contentment "free of charge" as a gift from God.

We read from a psalm of David in Psalm 131:1-2,"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me."

John was preaching and the people and tax collectors came asking "What shall we do?" " Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ' And what shall we do? ' So he said to them, ' Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.'" Luke 3:14

We find in II Peter 1:2-4 " Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Bitterness will detain us from contentment. We may become bitter in dealing with life's difficult situations. The bitterness can be removed by truly conveying our convictions to our Lord God.

Matthew 6:24," No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "

Contentment will grow from our humility and trust in God. When we think too highly of ourselves and don't value others as we should, this results in pride. When we allow ourselves to consider others higher than ourselves, we are humble and content with our Lord leading our lives.

We read in I Corinthians 7:24," Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called."

Consider this passage in II Thessalonians 1:5-7 ,"... that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels."

A source of our contentment is our service given to Jesus Christ. We live in a society that is carnally minded. We don't want to be in this trap . We can test ourselves. Ask yourself, "What consumes most of my thoughts, time and effort?"

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it." Hebrews 4:1

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS
(1) What delivers contentment?
(2) What prevents us from attaining contentment?

Copyright 2007 Linda Lawrence