Contentment In Your Life
Contentment is one of the core values in a healthy life. It is a settled place deep in the soul that brings peace, joy and health. Yet for many of us contentment is evasive contantly beyond our reach. What can we do to have contentment in our life?
Susan was a devout Christian. She had two wonderful children. Her job was fulfilling and she lived in a beautiful home in a great neighborhood. However Susan had a deep secret. She wasn’t sure of her marriage. Where was the passion? Where was the love that she first felt 12 years earlier? Is this what God wanted for her life?
Carol was walking through life as though she was waiting for something or someone to happen to her. She felt incomplete as if she was in limbo, waiting to become capable of life when the ‘magic day’ at the altar comes. If only she could get married she would be content. Now she is married and is disappointed. She discovered that her marriage did not give her the ‘key to life:’ she is still lonely and frustrated. “
John and Linda don’t know what to do. $70,000 in debt. How did it happen? And their mortage. They are only one hiccup from bankruptcy. The pressure is so much that it takes their breath away. What are they to do? This was not what they expected. But they never seemed to be content with what they had. It always had to be more. They are on a treadmill that is wearing them out.
What Leads Us To Discontentment?
There are many things that we can find ourselves in that lead us to discontentment.
Sickness
Debt
Sadness
Depression
Anger
Unfullfillment
Boredom
Despair
Loneliness
Hurt
Frustration
Bewildered
What is the source of our discontent?
EmotionalThere is a war going on inside her head. She walks around the house, has conversations but she is miles away. Deep in a canyon of self doubt, fear, ready to burst out in tears. The depression has been getting worst.
Unfulfilled dreams—Tom walks around in a quiet state or rejection. Never really feeling good about himself. Always looking for that “One thing” that will finally let everyone notice him, his chance to “prove” that he is someone.
He thinks to himself, “I will never amount to anything. It is too late. I am a failure.”
It is hard to compete with a negative voice like that. All the praise in the world goes up in smoke when this voice of self doubt pokes up it’s ugly head and discontent takes over.
Poor self image
When you have a poor self image you are constantly bombarded by a sense of shame, worthlessness, or non-being. Is this where your discontent is coming from?
Deep hurts and bitterness
Old wounds heal slowly, especially if we allow bitterness to set in. Like a bacterial infection, bitterness causes the wound to become infected and effects your whole being. Contentment cannot live in this hostile environment.
Medical
There are hundreds of medical issues that can attribute to a poor mental outlook. Depression, anxiety can often have medical causes attached to them. Check with your physician to make sure that your body is functioning well.
Spiritual
Mary thought it was just a joke. New age, it seemed innocent enough. Tarot cards, soon horoscopes, and eventually a medium. More and more depressed, she couldn’t get a handle on all the negativity in her life. The truth was she left herself wide open for spiritual attack. She needed to repent and renounce all her new age practices and ask God to cleanse her of this idolatry.
Sin in any form can lead to spiritual conditions that effect our outlook on life. If you are not content it could be due to a Spiritual issue.
The Bible Talks about Contentment – It is called delighting in the Lord!
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; Delight in God and commit your way to Him
Make Him your delight. Get to know God. Spend time mediating, reading His word. Make Him the Lord of your life. This will help you find your rightful place as His child.
Psalms 37:3-5
Contentment is not something that we achieve once for all but rather a destination where we constantly recorrect our course. Everyday we need to check our attitude and get back to a state of contentment. You see contentment is a choice! Paul writes,
“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”
Paul was filled with gratitude to God for all that God was doing in his life; single or married; in poverty or prosperous; in jail or free.
Contentment not the absence of pain or hardship
However, it is more than just surviving or putting up with circumstances instead it is rejoicing in Lord and trusting Him. This brings His peace to play in our life. Paul writes:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9
Contentment is learning to be content with what God allows for the moment. Again Paul writes:
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
Contentment is living under God’s guidance and direction
Contentment is not being a victim or afraid of making changes where needed.
Contentment is knowing that I have meaning and a purpose that goes beyond my accomplishments or what others may think about me.
A lack of true purpose in life can be the source of discontent.
Victor Frankle in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning shared about his experience in a prison camp. He observed that the people in prision that overcame odds had a reason to live beyond the camp. A overwhelming sense of purpose. Knowing that I have meaning and a purpose that goes beyond my accomplishments or what others may think about me gives me hope even in negative situations. You can say, “I matter to God and He has a purpose for my life!”
Paul shares:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
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
Contentment is MOVING UNDER GOD’s Guidance and Direction
Contentment is not blindly being a victim or afraid to make changes where needed
Contentment is more than having material blessings and security. Our contentment comes from the simplicity of living for Him. Paul emphasizes the importance of wherever we are in life, to accept our position with gratitude, and not be unhappy or discontented.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. I Timothy 6: 6-10
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.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
Contentment is knowing that I have meaning and a purpose that goes beyond my accomplishments or what others may think about me. I matter to God and He has a purpose for my life!
Contentment is not something that we achieve once for all but rather a destinatison where we constantly recorrect our course.
WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE CONTENT!
Paul wrote“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”
WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?
CHOOSE TODAY TO BECOME MORE CONTENT
