Discontentment is an emotional disease that takes away one’s joy and peace. Paul told Timothy, “But Godliness with contentment is great gain” [1 Timothy 6: 6]. The Hebrew writer instructs, “…be content with such things as you have” [Hebrews 13: 5]. Contentment has little to do with not getting what you want, but everything to do with wanting what you already have.
It has been said that, “contentment makes a poor man rich, yet discontentment makes a rich man poor.” The poor man said to the rich man, “I am richer than you are.” And “Why is that,” asked the rich man? “Because I have everything I want and you don’t.” It just might be that the poorest person in the world is the one who has plenty of money and material goods without contentment. Sometimes we want things we do not need, yet need things we do not want. Two tear drops met along the river of life. One tear drop said to the other, “Where did you come from?” “I am the tear drop of a girl who loved a man and lost him,” replied the first tear drop. And “Where do you come from?” “I am the tear drop of the girl who found him and married him.” Be careful what you hope and pray for. Fact is, if you have clothes on your back, food in your stomach, family and friends who love you, and Christ in your heart, then you are rich beyond measure – richer than the great majority of the world. Paul explained to Timothy, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” [1 Timothy 6: 7-8].
Happiness in Christ can’t be tampered with. If your security is in Christ, then you will always feel secure, but if your security is in things that can be taken away from you, then you will never feel contented for very long. The word contentment literally means “self-contained.” Writing from behind prison bars, Paul penned these words long ago to the church at Philippi: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content; 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” [Philippians 4: 11-13].
Material things are not able to bring contentment because things cannot satisfy the deepest needs of your heart. Solomon truthfully stated long ago, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver…” [Ecclesiastes 5: 10]. Either you can’t get enough of it, or when you get it, you find out it does not fulfill your needs. So do what the Psalmist said, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” [Psalm 37: 4]. Your life is not going to have any meaning until you realize that it was created for a much bigger purpose than the things that perish under the sun. I pray that you discover life the way God intends. Amen
Steve Cummings
It has been said that, “contentment makes a poor man rich, yet discontentment makes a rich man poor.” The poor man said to the rich man, “I am richer than you are.” And “Why is that,” asked the rich man? “Because I have everything I want and you don’t.” It just might be that the poorest person in the world is the one who has plenty of money and material goods without contentment. Sometimes we want things we do not need, yet need things we do not want. Two tear drops met along the river of life. One tear drop said to the other, “Where did you come from?” “I am the tear drop of a girl who loved a man and lost him,” replied the first tear drop. And “Where do you come from?” “I am the tear drop of the girl who found him and married him.” Be careful what you hope and pray for. Fact is, if you have clothes on your back, food in your stomach, family and friends who love you, and Christ in your heart, then you are rich beyond measure – richer than the great majority of the world. Paul explained to Timothy, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” [1 Timothy 6: 7-8].
Happiness in Christ can’t be tampered with. If your security is in Christ, then you will always feel secure, but if your security is in things that can be taken away from you, then you will never feel contented for very long. The word contentment literally means “self-contained.” Writing from behind prison bars, Paul penned these words long ago to the church at Philippi: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content; 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” [Philippians 4: 11-13].
Material things are not able to bring contentment because things cannot satisfy the deepest needs of your heart. Solomon truthfully stated long ago, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver…” [Ecclesiastes 5: 10]. Either you can’t get enough of it, or when you get it, you find out it does not fulfill your needs. So do what the Psalmist said, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” [Psalm 37: 4]. Your life is not going to have any meaning until you realize that it was created for a much bigger purpose than the things that perish under the sun. I pray that you discover life the way God intends. Amen
Steve Cummings
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