Debbie Swindell

Contentment is for Every Christian

In this series, we have explored the concept of contentment and its roots, highlighting that it is independent of circumstances and goes beyond emotions. We have noted that this notion contradicts the world’s consistent message of finding happiness in more, better, and newer experiences.

We have also established that true Christian hope and faith require believing in God, which goes against the world’s message and our senses. It involves freeing ourselves from the popular notion that happiness can only be found in what we can touch, taste, and hold.

Scripture serves as a source of truth, comfort, and revelation of God to believers. Still, regrettably, many people, even some who identify as Christians, have abandoned the Bible as a source of guidance and authority.

To learn contentment from the God of the Bible, who is the source of all true contentment, we must see ourselves under the authority of the Word. Puritan preacher and author Thomas Watson describes a contented Christian as “captivated under the authority of the Word.” To gain contentment, believers must understand what it is and what it is not.

Jeremiah Burroughs’ description of contentment as “that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of Spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition” captures the essence of contentment. To be well-skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory, and excellence of every Christian, not just those with outstanding faith.

We often fall into the trap of believing that having plenty and comfort will bring us contentment, but this is a lie. Wealth and prosperity can make individuals less content, bringing their unique trials and challenges. We should pursue contentment in Christ, not in the examples of the world.

As Christians, we should understand that the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, now lives in us, which affects our view of being content. The Spirit within us is more significant than our flesh. We can win the internal war with sin, and the hope of the power of the Holy Spirit informs our contentment.

Living in a community means having brothers and sisters who struggle. We can be of help or hindrance when friends and family suffer hardship, and we must point them to the Bible for comfort and guidance. Acknowledging problems and seeking to live faithfully through them is a sure pathway to contentment.

We should listen with empathy and compassion when others are burdened by their circumstances instead of sugar-coating the reality of what they are going through. Our duty as Christians is to listen, pray, weep, and be with someone experiencing hardship.

In summary, contentment is a state of mind that goes beyond our emotions and is independent of our circumstances. It is a work of the Spirit indoors, “a box of precious ointment, very comforting and useful for troubled hearts in troubled conditions.” Pursuing contentment in Christ involves:

• Understanding that life is burdensome and complex.
• Acknowledging hardships.
• Seeking to live faithfully through them.

As Christians, our hope lies in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we must always point ourselves and others to the Scriptures for encouragement and guidance.

1. How would you define contentment according to the exploration in this series? 
2. According to the exploration in this series, what is the source of true contentment?
3. According to the exploration in this series, what is the duty, glory, and excellence of every Christian?
4. What is the difference between pursuing contentment in Christ and pursuing contentment in the examples of the world, according to the exploration in this series?
5. What is the duty of Christians when their friends and family suffer hardship, according to the exploration in this series?