CONTENTMENT MAY BE YOURS

Who is the most contented person you know?  I hope it is you!  Would you say that you are contented?  Is your heart at peace?  Does your countenance reflect contentment?  Do you think you could be content?  Since I’m confident that all of us would love to be, let’s try to figure it out . . .

In the last couple briefings,1 I discussed legacy, knowing your purpose and establishing priorities accordingly, thereby limiting frustrating distractions.   I truly believe that knowing contentment is directly related to life flowing out of these. 

Ah…… contentment . . .

It is a gift like no other~

 ~will erase lines from your face and make you look younger

      ~cannot be purchased

         ~cannot be taken away

It will make you a pleasure to be around

   ~help you feel ‘settled’ inside

       ~give you a good attitude

          ~enable you to be at peace

              ~even if the world seems to be falling apart

                 even if your body fails you, or is in great pain

                    ~will make complaining a thing of the past

                        ~and when you have it, it will be accompanied by a

                          heart that is thankful and glad,

                               and a soul that is assured.        

My mom was the role model of contentment.  She grew up in a very poor family, the second oldest of 11 children, often living in a tent in the Midwest because her father had gambled away his paycheck.  Mom was married to my dad for almost 62 years, but never had a wedding ring, never went on a honeymoon; instead, she was married at the courthouse at noon, and went to work packing asparagus in a cannery at 3:00.  She wasn’t educated by the world’s standards, not even having completed high school—but she was so wise.  And….she was a study in contentment.

The dictionary defines contentment as ‘satisfaction’.  But the Greek word used to describe contentment in the Bible doesn’t just mean to be satisfied, or to have sufficient, but to have an ATTITUDE that lets us be satisfied with whatever is available.  I remember being deeply impressed with Paul’s disposition, and his ability to be content, even when he was shackled, in pain, and in prison:  “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”2 

Paul passionately pursued God, and lived on purpose; his priorities kept him focused.  And then, when he was physically and mentally tortured, he knew, ‘My God will supply all my needs, according to his riches in Christ Jesus.3  Paul knew the source of all good things, and trusted him.

Contentment is for the ‘now’ —  You see, it is not uncommon for us to think, ‘I’ll be happy when….’ ‘Everything will be better when….’ ‘If only….’ ‘If I could get this….’ ‘or be….’ THEN I’d be happy.  Not so.  Contentment is not found in possessions, accomplishments, or station in life.  Those are ‘icing on the cake’, but certainly not the pathway to inner joy.  Experiencing contentment usually involves the elevation of our thinking, evaluating our life purpose, (a passionate pursuit of God), and establishing accompanying priorities, for as Paul later wrote, ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’4

Contentment may be yours~  do you want it?

Christine

1  The briefings “An Obituary of a Focused Life” and “Purposeful Living”

2   Philippians 4.11-12

3   Philippians 4.13

4   1 Timothy 6.6