Contentment – a state of being
satisfied or easy in mind
Are you content? Part of the time? All the time? Never? What makes you feel content? I enjoy quiet, unrushed moments when I’m
alone with the Lord. They give me a
sense of contentment. Finishing a task I
had been dreading to tackle can also give me a feeling of satisfaction. Of course, being with family, a peaceful
vacation and many other circumstances can bring contentment. But when those circumstances are past, the
feeling of contentment goes with them.
And what about the days when there are no quiet moments, the work load
is overwhelming, the family isn’t around and our circumstances have left us
alone and afraid? We need something that
never changes if we want true, lasting contentment. Situations change. Relationships change. Our needs change. The contentment they offer today may be
pulled out from under us tomorrow, leaving us discontent. But we can have an abiding contentment,
regardless of our circumstances.
Paul had a firsthand understanding
of the complexities and even brutalities of this world. But he had a greater understanding of the
realm of God’s kingdom. In Philippians
4:11 he made this statement: “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.” Paul had
learned from experience to be content regardless of his condition or
status. His comfort level was not the
prerequisite for his contentment.
Whether he had plenty to eat or was hungry, he knew God would not let
Him down. If everyone else was against him, God was for him. Paul knew what it was like to have to
restrain people from worshipping him, but he also knew what it was like to be
tracked down, hated, stoned, persecuted and thrown in prison without a
cause. Yet he said whatever his status,
he had learned to be content with it.
To ‘be’ is to exist in the
present. When troubles come, it’s easy
to long for the pleasant days of the past or try to block out the present by
looking to the future as we ‘wait it out’.
But even in the hard times, the unfair times, we need to be present in
our existing circumstances and look for the purpose of God in them. We can look around us and say, “What is God’s
work here? He has me here for a purpose,
so what is it?” It may be to turn our
attention back to God. It may be an open
door for ministry. When we find it, we
need to move with it. That is where Paul
found contentment. Knowing and doing the
will of God. That is where we will find
it, too.
How could Paul be content when his
circumstances contradicted everything we consider essential for
contentment? He gives us the answer in
verse 13. “I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me.” That
scripture is not just a mantra that if repeated over and over will come true. It is much more than that. Paul had learned from experience that it is a
rock-solid truth he could count on. Paul
accepted the will of God, but not without the strength and ability of God. We can, too, but we have to choose to set our
focus and goals on a higher realm of living.
Paul had learned that real, lasting
contentment is found only in Christ.
Before his encounter with Jesus, he was a Pharisee. He had enjoyed prestige and the best this
life has to offer. But he learned
contentment was not found in the long, repetitious prayers prayed in public, or
being called “Rabbi”, or even in having the esteem of the people, his peers and
his superiors. The pride of the position
he had earned by a well-disciplined life fell short of bringing
contentment. He found contentment in
giving everything for the cause of Christ.
And Christ became everything to him.
Paul was always fully engaged in his
present circumstances. When he stood in chains before Festus and king Agrippa,
he seized the opportunity to give testimony of how Jesus had appeared to him on
the road to Damascus, and how his life was changed. When he was shipwrecked on
an island, then bitten by a poisonous snake, it was all for the glory of
God. It led to the salvation of those on
the island. When he was arrested in
Jerusalem, it was his ticket to Rome where God had called him. Even during his imprisonment there, he
continued to write and share the gospel with everyone who came to see him. Paul did the work of the kingdom of God
wherever he was. He didn’t need a formal
invitation. His circumstances were his
invitation.
Because of the hardships in his
life, Paul stood before kings, worked miracles, shared the gospel with most of
the world, and wrote a large portion of the New Testament by the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit. He was content in the
will of God.
Jesus is the perfect example of
finding joy and contentment in doing God’s will. Even as He struggled in prayer in the Garden
of Gethsemane, He was set and determined to do God’s will. He had the power to free Himself with one
word. So, how did He find the resolve to
give Himself over to the torturers? It
was for the joy of doing the Father’s will.
It was for the joy of knowing He was buying our redemption.
Hebrews 12:2
speaks of Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
He knew what was ahead, and He allowed Himself to be tortured, humiliated,
ridiculed and crucified for the joy that was set before Him, and for the joy He
brought to those who believe on Him.
I know this is a
poor example in comparison to what Jesus has done for us, but it will give us a
picture of the principle involved. I
don’t like to clean house. Scrubbing
sinks, bathtubs and toilets and vacuuming, dusting and mopping don’t really
bring excitement into my life. I dread it, but I do those things because I know
what will happen if I don’t. It would
leave us in unhealthy living conditions, and all the clutter would overwhelm
us. I do it because I know the benefits
and the light feeling that comes with a clean house. The work is worth it. It leaves me with a sense of contentment.
We were worth it
to Jesus because He loves us. He knew
our sins had overwhelmed us and would destroy us, and there was nothing we
could do to redeem ourselves. He saw the
end result – our redemption. He also
found joy in pleasing the Father by accomplishing His plan. We can find that same joy and
contentment, knowing we are in the will of God.
We are called to
lay aside anything and everything that will take us away from accomplishing
God’s will. If we will give up the
struggle and give in to walking in God’s will (following His Word), we will
find contentment there. If we offer ourselves up as living sacrifices, being
transformed by His Word and refusing to be conformed to this world, we will
walk out the perfect and acceptable will of God in our lives. Even our harshest circumstances can prove to
be of great value to us and the kingdom of God.
First Timothy 6:6 tells us, “But
godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Godliness is holiness and righteousness that is ours only through Jesus’
sacrifice and the abiding Spirit of God in us.
It cannot be earned. We can have
the life of Christ in us and be free from the guilt of sin, all because Jesus
walked in the Father’s will and paid for our freedom. Now we need to set ourselves to walk in the
Father’s will and see what He will do through us.
Jesus said, “Not everyone that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, emphasis mine) We live in the kingdom of God by
doing the will of the Father. We can
have the Spirit of God alive in us, changing us to be more and more like Jesus,
guiding us, giving us understanding of God’s Word. That is the epitome of contentment – living
the full life of freedom in the kingdom of God, the perfect will of God. We can be satisfied even in the most
difficult of times, because we know the One Who has promised to provide
everything we need. When we learn to
trust in the all-powerful hands of God, we can have a mind that is at peace
with its lot in life, hands that are ready to seize every opportunity, and an
assurance that we have more than enough of whatever we need. We can go through the hardships with joy
because we are accomplishing God’s plan.
What are you leaning on to make
you content? Is it a relationship, a
promotion, a bigger house or retirement? If it is the things of this world, I
can assure you it is not enough and it won’t last. It’s amazing, that most things we think will
bring us contentment are dreams for the future that will probably never come to
pass. But, we can start being content
here and now, in our ‘present’, wherever that may be. Because only following Jesus will bring
contentment that weathers the storms of this life and ushers us into His presence. Only by His Spirit can we recognize the will
of God and walk in it. That is contentment.
Are you content?
Do you want to be?
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