My only Hope

The Secrets of Real Joy Part IX:

CONTENTMENT

All of us desire to be happy. In fact, we have a loving God who wants us to be joyful. Yet, a lot of times we wallow in thoughts that suggest we can only be happy if we had a higher paying job, a more successful business, a bigger house, a better spouse, or for singles, a partner in life. However, real joy that springs from contentment does not depend on external circumstances. Paul says, “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” (Philippians 4:11). Bill Gothard puts it this way, “Contentment is realizing that God has already given me everything I need for my present happiness.” The following questions will help us unlock the secret of joy in contentment.
What is contentment? Contentment is neither a license to be complacent nor an excuse for failure, but rather, it is having a perspective that we can be happy regardless of where we are in our lives. If we are not content with what we have right now, we can be sure that no amount of blessing will make us happy. And even if it does not come to us naturally, contentment is something we can learn. Paul, who has undergone tremendous hardships states, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (Philippians 4:12). The biblical definition of contentment is having the attitude of gratefulness and peace born out of trust and surrender to the will of God in every circumstance. Let us learn how to be thankful for what we have rather than focus on what we don’t have. We need to surrender our circumstances  for God has our best interest at heart and if we learn how to put our confidence in Him, we gain the spirit of contentment that transcends our present circumstances.
Why is contentment important? We cannot wait for our wishes to come true in order to become content. Contentment begins today, for it is found in Christ. Hence, contentment must be Christ-centered. It is focused on what God has given us and not on what we don’t have. Our joy is focused on the Lord and not on circumstances. Thus, in any situation, we experience joy and peace in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 11:23-25).
Our problem has always been our sinful nature. It tempts us to look at our fellowmen and compare what they have with what we don’t have. And when we begin to compare, we start demanding what we think we should have and are entitled to. Then, contentment disappears. We need to learn how to count our blessings. Doing so will help us appreciate everything God has given us and prevent us from grumbling. When we are content, we trust the sovereignty of God in all aspects of our lives, believing that there are no accidents in life and that our loving Father has our best interest in mind. (Matthew 20:12-13).
We are also reminded in I Timothy 6:7-8, “For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” When we become obsessed with wanting to have what other people possess, we lose sight of the reality that we will eventually leave everything behind. Being content will change our whole perspective in life. It will give us eternal perspective and will help us determine what is really important in life. (Luke 12:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:9-10).
Learning how to be content protects us from this pitfall of envy. Although there is nothing wrong with money and prosperity, there is always the danger of loving earthly possessions more than anything else and losing sight of what truly matters: loving Jesus with all our heart.
How do we experience contentment? Contentment begins with Christ. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Clearly, apart from Jesus Christ, we will never experience contentment. When we begin to have an intimate relationship with Christ, our perspective in life and the way we think change. It is only through Him that our eyes can be opened to the reality of eternity. The Lord Himself promised, “I will never desert you, nor will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). We become truly content as our hearts and minds are transformed by Christ. Epictetus states, “I am always content with what happens, for what God chooses is better than what I choose.” When we believe that God knows what is best for us and that there is more to life than possessions, we are able to keep our eyes on our past, present and future blessings. The secret of experiencing contentment is Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if we want to find true joy and contentment, let us turn to the source: Jesus Christ. Let us count our blessings and rejoice in what God has done, is presently doing and will surely continue to do in our lives. We must have a complete trust in God and have the conviction that He knows what He is doing which is always for the best.