Got Contentment?

Got Contentment?

No, it doesn’t always show visibly as the “Got Milk” pictures with the white line above the lips. But it should manifest itself inwardly with a feeling of peace in or in spite of our circumstances. The apostle Paul said, (1 Timothy 6:6) But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. Over the years when I have thought about this scripture, I have often felt that we should look at it differently. If it is of great gain to have godliness with contentment I think on the flip side there is no gain to it, if we are not content.

What is the source of our worries so often? A major amount comes down to not being content with what the Lord has given us or allowed us to go through. We look at our situations in our homes and we don’t have the family of our dreams. We aren’t content. We may have a physical ailment the Lord has allowed, even perhaps for His glory, but we aren’t content. We may be single, having tried marriage many times and failing, we aren’t content; but we don’t want to be alone. We may have any number of things that are truly a thorn in the flesh to us, but we don’t have the gain of true godliness because we aren’t content with our life.

The only way I know to get out of the rut that comes about what we don’t have, is to maintain focus on what we do have. Count your blessings; number them if you have to. We as a nation of people have so many material blessings that people of other nations only dream of. Sometimes our desperation inwardly can be a good thing as it drives us closer to the Lord. In that case it can work out as great gain. We know we want our lives to count for the Lord and to be able to display the majesty that comes from that inward peace with circumstances.
Have you ever, like so many women today, wandered about a Mall, thinking you just have to buy something for that temporary high that it brings? Charley Reece, formerly of the Orlando Sentinel said, “Materialism, which is the pursuit of stuff, turns out to be empty. After one has gotten stuff, stored it, moved, maintained it, insured it, one gets to the final stuff, a cemetery lot and headstone, where all the stuff has to be abandoned. A man becomes a slave to his possessions.” That doesn’t mean we should never buy anything, but possession alone won’t make us happy. And of course, we can’t take it with us as Charley so aptly pointed out.

I had a day that brought about a lot of discontentment for no real known reason. I felt that no one valued my opinion or even asked for it. I was concerned about homeschooling and feeling like a failure in it. I was concerned about some friends that are going through horrible situations and feeling at a loss for what to do. I felt like my life was out of control and with all my control issues that was hard for me. Yet, if we get right down to it; our lives need to be out of our control and in God’s control. And we need to learn that we aren’t our feelings. Feelings come and go, sometimes rising and falling with health issues, hormones or relational problems. Attacks from the enemy of our soul will bring us down but we don’t have to stay down. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Got contentment? Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to have contentment the only truth that will show contentment and the only life that will bring contentment. When days are hard, parenting seems impossible, dreams aren't coming true let Him make your life one of gain instead of loss by helping you to take a deep breath, roll the burden to him and give you the contented sigh of relief. I promise you contentment will show all over your face. And your life.