Contentment with Godliness
Posted by Sandy in Attitude, Blessed Life, Christian Living, God's peace, tags: 1 Timothy, 2 Peter, John, Joshua, Mark, Matthew, Philippians, Proverbs, Psalms
By guest blogger Pastor Dan Caudill
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.
(Philippians 4:12)
We live in a world of “more.” Pick any topic you want and the general consensus is bigger, faster, higher, just….“more.” From TV shows to sports to our looks to our jobs to how much money we make to our possessions, we have this sense that somehow we have to out-do what we did yesterday, last month, last year – that if we have more, get more do more, see more , say more, are more, life would be better somehow. As a whole, we are in a state of discontent, dangling the proverbial carrot in front of ourselves with the thought, “I would be happier if… (Fill in the blank).” And because we often try to fill the voids in our lives with the wrong “filler” (that’s where the godliness needs to come in), when the newness of what we acquired or accomplished wears off we find ourselves wanting….well, “more.”
The Bible says “contentment with Godliness is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6). The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” (Philippians 4:12)
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying we shouldn’t want to be happy. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t want to have a better world or a better life, or that we shouldn’t work toward improving ourselves and the situations around us. And I’m not saying that it is wrong to have possessions. As I once heard someone say, “It’s not wrong to have things as long as things don’t have us.” I also read somewhere “if you aren’t happy with what you have, you won’t be happy with what you get.”
What I am saying is that I believe it is possible in God’s economy to be seeking, hoping, wanting and working toward that “better tomorrow” and yet be perfectly content with today. In other words, we can be content with where we are and where we are headed at the same time. Each day is a gift. The Psalmist writes, “This is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) Also, as the saying goes, sometimes “The joy is in the journey.” I am sure we have all set out for a specific destination (both literally and figuratively), only to find upon arrival that it wasn’t nearly as spectacular as we had imagined. But oh the things that happened along the way, the lives we touched and the ones that touched ours. The “getting there” far outweighed the importance and impact of the arrival.
I guess if we insist on wanting “more”, why not go for more contentment and go for it today (kind of defeats the idea if we put it off until tomorrow or next week). I would like to offer some “helps” that aid us in our quest for contentment.
- Take God at His Word. Scripture says He knows our needs even before we ask. (Matthew 6:8)
- God promises that He has “given us everything we need for life and for godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3)
- Scripture says that the blameless will “lack no good thing.” (Psalm 84:11)
- If God is for us, who or what can be against us.
- With God, all things are possible (Mark 10:27)
- We, like Paul, can do all things through Christ who gives us Strength. (Philippians 4:13)
- A man plans his course, but God orders his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
- God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5)
- Jesus himself said the Father holds his children in the palm of His hand and nothing can snatch us out. (John 10:28)
Well, if you are like me, you have tasted slices of contentment here and there, but haven’t enjoyed that sweet taste on a regular basis. I think I’m ready to go for the whole “pie.” Holy Spirit teach me as I head back to school to “learn the secret of being content in any and every situation.” Let it come to pass Lord.
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