Once the millionaire
Bernard Baruch was asked, how much money
does a rich man need to be satisfied?” and Baruch replied, “Just a million more than he has.” I have seen educated people to whom God has
given enormous wealth, good family, good position in the society and yet they
are not contended and they want more! They have no peace within them, and they
tend to compare themselves with people who are given more and they want more! Alas….they
fail to realize that a shroud, a coffin, and a grave are all that the richest
man in the world can carry from his ‘thousands.’
Contentment - happiness with one's situation in life
Happiness - emotions
experienced when in a state of well-being
Satisfaction - the
contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation;
"the chef tasted the sauce with great satisfaction"
Discontent, discontentedness, discontentment - a
longing for something better than the present situation.
Contentment cannot come
from material things, for they can never satisfy the heart. Only God of the
universe can satisfy the longings of the heart, and when we have God, we have
all we need, because He is the only one who is going to be with us
everlastingly. All the material things will decay, or when we leave the earthly tent we have to leave it all! The Bible asks us to compare ourselves only
with Jesus Christ who owned nothing
and His goal was to fulfill the will of the Father. This is a very high
standard and a holy calling.
The opposite of contentment is covetousness which is the desire for more, whether it is needed or
not. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you
have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor
forsake you.” Heb 13:5. Covetousness is an
overeager desire of the wealth of this world, envying those who have more than
us and this is SIN. Once we understand this is sin, it should be subdued because
it may lurk in the heart in the secret chambers and shows it ugly head in odd
places, we would be in a downward spiral of discontent and this would eventually
destroys our soul!
A good way to be
contended is to know whom we believe: and trust Him for today and tomorrow. He
is God of the present, past and the future and He is Omniscient. Be satisfied
with such things that we have: present things; for past things can not be
recalled and future things are only in the Hands of a mighty God! Sometimes
what God gives for each day may fall short of our expectation, but be contend
with what you have for that day.
6 “Now godliness with contentment
is great gain. 7 For we
brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain[a] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But 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. 10 For the love of money is a
root of all kinds of evil, for
which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows”.1 Tim 6:6-10.
If God gives us the
necessary support of life, we ought to be content with that. We may not have dainty food and costly raiment, but if
we have food and raiment convenient for us, we ought to be content. If we look
around, those who have set their hearts on enormous wealth of this world have
fallen into temptation and snare. When the love
of money lurks in the hearts, Satan sees which way their lust will carry
them, and soon bait his hook accordingly.
Men of God should be taken up with the things of God, and the Word of God
asks us to flee from the worldly things, and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.
Godliness and contentment are indeed rare gems, but since they can only be found inseparably combined, they are
the rarest of gem to be found in man. "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the
poor of this world rich in Faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath
promised to them that love Him?" (James 2:5).
Unlike the covetous of the world,
Christians are to be content with their lot in life-- rich or poor, pleasant ways or a difficult road-- since they
understand their physical circumstances to be both God's opportunity to mold
them and reach the world. "To the weak became I
as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I
might by all means save some" (1Corinthians 9:22). Once it is fully
realized that your physical circumstances ought to be treated only as secondary
to your spiritual necessities, i.e., "Seek ye
first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness; and all these things
[food, clothing, shelter] shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33), then it
becomes immediately possible to be truly content.
How do we apply the above principle to our heart?
On a scale of 1(least) to 10 (most), how
content are we with the things we have right now? Let us create an antidote for
discontent, by completing the sentence below:
“When I am discontent
next time, I will remember ------------, and then I will-------------.”
References:
1. Dr. Ed Murphy. The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1992, 1996, pgs: 432-436.
2. Jay E. Adams. Critical Stages of
Biblical Counseling, Finishing Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started. New
Jersey
3. Jay E. Adams. How to Help People Change, The Four-step Biblical Process.Grand
Rapids
4. John F. MacArthur, JR.Wayne Nashville
5. Jay E. Adams. Lectures on Counseling.Grand
Rapids
3. Jay E. Adams. How to Help People Change, The Four-step Biblical Process.
4. John F. MacArthur, JR.
5. Jay E. Adams. Lectures on Counseling.
6. The Holy Bible, New King James
Version, Women of Destiny Bible. Women Mentoring women Through the Scriptures,
A Spirit Filled Life Bible. Nashville ,
Tennessee
7. Warren W.
Wiersbe. Devotions for confidence & Integrity, Hebrews & John. Colorado , Springs, Colorado
Website References:
1. John 1 NKJV - The Eternal Word - In the beginning was - Bible Gateway
The Eternal Word. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3
All things were made through ...
2. 1 John 1 NKJV - What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched - Bible Gateway
What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched. 1 That which was from
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we
have looked upon, and our ...
3. John 1 New King James Version | The New Bible.com
Bible.com is all new! Enjoy a free online Bible from You Version. Now, the
simple, ad-free Bible experience loved by millions is available at Bible.com.
4. contentment - definition of contentment by the Free Online ...
con·tent·ment (k n-t nt m nt) n. 1. The state of being contented;
satisfaction. 2. A source of satisfaction: the contentments of a comfortable
retirement.
5. Contentment | Define Contentment at Dictionary.com
dictionary.reference.com/browse/contentment
noun 1. the state of being contented ; satisfaction; ease of mind. 2.
Archaic. the act of making contentedly satisfied. Origin: 1400–50; late Middle
English ..
6. contentment: Definition from Answers.com
contentment n. The state
of being contented; satisfaction. A source of satisfaction: the contentments of
a comfortable
7. Bible Scriptures about Contentment
Bible Scriptures
about Contentment from the KJV Bible.
... online access to study passages, for Biblical
studies, contained in the words, ...
8. 1 timothy 6:6 NKJV - Now godliness with contentment is great ...
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ... NKJV
Fire Bible for Kids: Becoming God's Power Kids, Imitation
Leather, Orange
9. 1 Timothy 6:6-19 NKJV - Now godliness with contentment is great ...
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we
brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and clothing, with ..
10. What the Bible Says About Contentment
Godliness and contentment are indeed rare gems. They are
the rarest of gem to be found in man.
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