Biblical Contentment
As you allow your mind to wander, have you ever wondered about the thoughts that occupy your mind when there is nothing you must think about? Do you start creating a running to-do list in your head or focus on your physical appearance or your following entertainment? The opposite of contentment is covetousness, which is the desire to want something you do not have. Sadly, our culture encourages us to covet and consume in ways that are entirely contrary to biblical teachings. However, as Christians, we should strive to cultivate contentment, which should be outwardly apparent.
It can be challenging to be content, especially when our minds are troubled and we begin to believe that our problems are more significant than our God. To gain the correct thinking, we must study God’s attributes systematically through the Scriptures, which will help us better understand our proper relationship with Him. God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and only when we rest in Him can we find the correct thinking.
Culturing contentment is fundamentally rooted in understanding and resting in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is through Him that we can find ultimate happiness. The Bible encourages believers to take heart through their circumstances and find contentment in the Lord, which is not contingent on outward circumstances but upon the inward assurance of God’s sovereignty.
Contentment has been desired throughout history, and it is not a new longing for Christians. In the garden, Eve went from complete joy to sheer dissatisfaction, and the problem of discontent is as old as humanity. Once inward, contentment works outward, so we might be people who exude hope.
As stated in the Bible, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoke one another, envy one another.
Therefore, we should be fully convinced that God can do what He has promised. This is why faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. To covet is to focus on one’s circumstances, primarily on what one does not have.
- How can we learn to be content in a world that constantly encourages us to want more?
2. What role does gratitude play in cultivating contentment, and how can we practice gratitude in our daily lives?
3. How can social media and technology impact our sense of contentment, and how can we navigate these influences?
4. Can cultural or societal factors make it more difficult to be content, and how can we address these challenges?
5. How can we help others find contentment, and how can this impact our church and community?
We need to ask ourselves if Jesus is our source of contentment and reflect on how we have responded in the past to the hardships in our lives. May we determine today to reclaim a spirit of contentment for the glory of God. Reading Psalm Chapter One for further study can also be helpful.
Debbie Swindell 