Contentment

As a boy growing up in Tennessee I remember a story book I read many times that contained a section of Aesop’s Fables. These stories told short stories that had a moral or point to each. One story sticks in my mind. The story was of a dog crossing a bridge with a bone in his mouth. As he crosses the water he happens to look down and there is a huge dog with a monstrous bone in his mouth. The first dog snarls his teeth and the second snarls his. The first dog moves closer and the second dog moves closer. The first dog reaches out to grab the other dog’s bone and as he does his own bone falls into the water. Gone forever.

How often we, like that dog, see what other’s have and quickly forget the blessings we have received. We have little or no joy in what the Lord has given to us because we are preoccupied with something we do not have. That is a sin called covetousness. That is a condition called discontentment.

When a person thinks of success he or she often thinks of more, more money; bigger, bigger house; newer, newer car; faster, faster living; greater, greater wealth. That is the world’s view of success, however, the question begs to be asked, "How much is enough?" How big of a house is enough? How nice of car is enough? How much salary is enough? The answer for most people is there is never enough. We are consumers. We are achievers. We go for the gusto. And when we consume, and achieve, and reach the gusto what then? We want more, more, more. Life is one big treadmill of accumulating in the pursuit of enough, but we never succeed.

Solomon, the richest king of Israel and the wisest man who ever lived said this of his "super successful" life, "Then I looked on all the labors of my labor, And on all the labor in which I had toiled: And indeed it was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

Do you want to look back at the years of your life, your work, and your labor and say it was of no value? Worthless? Vanity? As futile as chasing the wind? That is what most people feel in their hearts, even if they never say it. "What’s the use?" "Why am I here?" "What difference do I make?"

The good news from the Bible is that there is an opportunity for true success in life. Like the moral to that story of the dog with the bone, the Bible teaches us that to be truly successful, to have great gain, we must learn to be content. The Apostle Paul writes in the Bible, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Philippians 4:11). He also writes in 1 Timothy 6:6, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain."
Great gain, true success, a life lived to the maximum involves two basic parts; godly living and contentment with what the Lord provides. It sounds too simple, too basic. The question is, will I believe the Bible, the Word of God or will I believe Fortune magazine? Who sets the standards for my success? I challenge you, go God’s way.

Godliness begins with a personal relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus Christ. We acknowledge to God that we are a sinner and ask His forgiveness. We repent from our sins and turn to Jesus, trusting Him as Savior and Lord. We believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God who died for our sins and rose to life again through the power of God. Through commiting our life to Jesus we receive the gift of eternal life and become children of God. God guides us and empowers us to follow Jesus. Thus begins the most wonderful adventure a person could experience, life lived in the footsteps of God. A life of purpose, power, peace, and provision.
Contentment is an attitude I choose. It is a lifestyle I learn. I do not have anything I want, but I have everything I need. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:8 "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." Contentment also provides a means of escape from many temptations and traps that serve to destroy life. "For 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" (1 Timothy 6:9). In contentment I can truly say to God, "Thank you for all you have given. I am grateful. I am satisfied."

Today, take a moment to stop and examine your own heart and soul. Do you find godliness? Do you find contentment? If the answer is yes have a life of great gain. If the answer is no, why not get off the treadmill of the world and discover the beautiful peace of life lived in gratitude to the glory of God.