How to find Contentment

Contentment means to be satisfied or pleased. To be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one’s own. 

Hebrews 13:5 says  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.”

Contentment as defined by Priscilla Shirer 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 centred on a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

So no matter what happens to you or what others do to you, have the steady assurance that the Lord is for with and He will not forsake you.  We live in challenging times – world pandemic, with so many families loosing their lives. Thank the Lord for life and given you the grace to depend on Him. Let us take one day at a time and be content with what you have.

1 Timothy 6:6-11 says Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[c] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

How do we acquire contentment?

The secret for contentment in every situation is to focus on the Lord as Sovereign, as Saviour, and as the Sufficient One.  When you find yourself in any need, who do you call on first?  Family? Friends? or God?

1.Establish a reasonable standard of living. It is important to develop a lifestyle based on conviction, not circumstances. God will assign Christians at every economic level. On whatever level He has placed you, live within the economic parameters established and supplied by Him. Just having abundance is not a sign of God’s blessings. Satan can easily duplicate any worldly riches. God’s abundance is without sorrow and is for the purpose of bringing others to Christ. 

2.Establish a habit of giving. Along with the tithe, God desires that every Christian provide for the needs of others through the giving of offerings, gifts, and personal involvement. 

3.Establish priorities. Many Christians are discontented—not because they not doing well but because others are doing better. Too often Christians look at what they don’t have and become dissatisfied and discontented, rather than thanking God for what they do have and being content with what He has supplied. 

4.Develop a thankful attitude. It is remarkable that in the UK we could ever think that God has failed us materially. That attitude is possible only when we allow Satan to convince us to compare ourselves to others. The primary defence against this attitude is praise to God. Satan uses lavishness and waste to create discontent and selfish ambition. Thankfulness is a state of mind, not an accumulation of assets. Until you can truly thank God for what you have and be willing to accept God’s provision, contentment will never be possible.

5.Reject a fearful spirit. One of the most effective tools used by Satan against Christians is the question, “What if?” Dedicated Christians get trapped into hoarding because they fear the “What if?” of retirement, disability, unemployment, economic collapse, and so on. Although God wants us to be concerned about these things, when fears dictate to the point that giving to God is hindered, foolish risks are assumed, and worry seems to control every decision, contentment is impossible. 

6.Seek God’s will. (Philippians 3:8).”More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” 

7.Stand up to fear. “ I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

8.Trust God’s promise. “The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).  Contentment is so far removed from many Christians that it seems that they will never be able to find it or be at peace. However, contentment is not something that must be searched for and found. It is an attitude of the heart. Once the attitude has been modified and all has been transferred to God, contentment will be evident. 

I believe that the Apostle Paul from his books had a policy of not making his financial needs known to anyone except the Lord. Here he was in prison, unable to pursue his tent-making trade, and he was in a tight spot. He wrote a number of letters during this time to various churches and individuals (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), and he asks for prayer in those letters. But never once does he mention his financial needs. Rather, he asks for prayer for boldness and faithfulness in his witness. He trusted in and submitted to the sovereignty of God to provide for his needs.

1 Peter 5:6-7 says Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Paul learned to be content in all conditions. It didn’t come naturally to him, and it wasn’t an instantaneous transformation. It is a process, something that we learn from walking with God each day. Key to this process is understanding that everything, major and minor, is under God’s sovereignty. He uses all our circumstances to train us in godliness if we submit to Him and trust Him. Our attitude in trials and our deliberate submission to His sovereignty in the trial is crucial. 

On the other hand, in times of abundance, we should not take our focus off God. Money doesn’t provide contentment neither does poverty.

Knowing God’s plan for you, having a conviction to live it and believing that God’s peace is greater than the world’s problems is what will bring you contentment.

Written by: @lydiaspeaks_ministry

Photo courtesy: ©Alex Radelich/Unsplash

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