Contentment: A Desire Fulfilled

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about contentment. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (4:11 ESV). Interestingly, the Greek word translated as contentment is translated as sufficiency in 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” That puts a little different spin on things. We generally think of contentment as a state of mind—being happy with our circumstances. However, sufficiency is more of a state of being—having enough.

Paul combines those ideas in 1 Timothy 6:6-8, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” If we have what is sufficient for survival, we should then be content. However, as we all know that is rarely the case. We can always think of things that we wish we had—relationships, abilities, possessions, etc.

Melissa Kruger commented in a recent “Let’s Talk” podcast, “What shifted is I recognized I have a heart problem, not a circumstance problem. So, that changes how I fight the battle. I realize I’m going to be fighting this battle with discontentment my whole life, but I fight it differently.” The problem is not what we’re lacking but what we’re idolizing. Anything that takes our eyes off God has the potential to make us discontented. If our delight is in God, our desires are fulfilled because He is what we desire most (Psalm 37:4).

The Apostle Peter wrote that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). I don’t think we really believe that to be true most of the time. I know I’ve tended to interpret that in a strictly spiritual sense, and therefore I haven’t appreciated His provision of food, shelter, and relationships as I should.

Paul David Tripp wrote in War of Words,

“The blessings God gives you in your family, job, home, church, friends, and community are meant to do something for you. They are meant to point you to the deeper and fuller blessing of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life. He is life! Abundant life is not your spouse, children house, car, possessions, job, friends, or church. Abundant life is Jesus Christ! The amazing reality is that he is ours and we are his! This is the bread worth living for” (95).

We don’t always remember to let the gifts point us back to the Giver. We desire things that God never promised and that we don’t really need. We confuse wants with needs, and fail to recognize God’s gracious provision. We forget that He is a good Father and that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). In Tripp’s words,

“May God help us to be people who see the sign behind the miracle, who look at earthly blessing and say, ‘These blessings point me to the deeper, fuller reality of Christ in my life. What I hunger for and what I want my life to be about is fellowship with, love for, and obedience to my Lord Jesus Christ’” (100).

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Is God Enough?

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).

I only noticed recently that this verse ties contentment to the presence of God. He will never leave us, therefore we can be content. Paul said similar things in some of his letters:

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

The question is, are we really content with God’s strength and God’s presence with us? We have the Creator of the universe on our side, and yet if we’re honest we often want something more or different. For some people it may be career, money, or material possessions, for others it may be a particular type of relationship. We may not even know what it is we’re looking for, but we’re plagued with discontentment.

I like to read biographies of Christians from World War II. I’ve often wondered how I would fare in similar situations, though I pray I never have to find out. It has been said that those who survived the concentration camps were the ones who held onto hope in One greater than themselves. God’s presence provided strength to survive and even to be content in the midst of the worst persecution imaginable. Would we truly know that God is sufficient when we’ve lost everything else? If we think we would be content with nothing, why are we not content with the many things we do have?

I’ve been convicted by this at times. While I don’t want a lot of stuff (and I already have more than I need), I do wish I could make people change to suit my own needs and desires. There’s a fine line between “spurring one another on to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24) and getting people to do for me what I’m unwilling to do for them. I can complain about the lack of hospitality among Christians, but do I open my own home to others? I can say we need to cultivate deeper relationships, but do I really want to know what others are dealing with in their own lives? I may say God is enough, but I would prefer “God-plus.”

I believe it is possible to work for change in the world, in the church, and in our individual lives and yet to remember that if we never get what we want God is still enough. We can seek improvements in our culture and in our homes without pinning all our hopes and dreams on them. We can be more thankful for all the blessings we have if we know that only the treasures laid up in heaven will last (Luke 12:32-34). We may not have everything we want, but in Christ we have everything we need.

“Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14).

© 2019 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

More Than Anything

Reading in the Old Testament recently I noticed something I hadn’t seen before. In 2 Samuel 9, King David asks, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (9:1 ESV). He is introduced to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who is crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth is invited into the palace and dines at the king’s table for the rest of his life. In contrast, in the next chapter David sends condolences to Hanun when his father, the king of the Ammonites, dies. Hanun’s response is to disgrace the messengers, which leads to a massive battle. If he had received the messengers graciously, he could have avoided a war.

It seems to me that in both these chapters King David was a model of God. He extends grace to two different men—one accepts it and becomes like a member of the family; the other person rejects it and brings condemnation on himself. Likewise God has extended the offer of forgiveness and adoption to all, but we can choose whether or not to accept it. “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:17). “God sent forth His Son… so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

Mephibosheth is one of my favorite characters in the Old Testament. He knew he had nothing to offer the king. He could barely even get around. He was simply grateful to be honored by David. After a misunderstanding when David temporarily fled the palace and Mephibosheth got left behind, Mephibosheth turns down an offer of land, because all he cares about is that his king has come home (2 Sam. 19:24-30). All he wants is to dwell with the king who brought him into his family.

I think we could all learn from Mephibosheth. It’s tempting to desire the blessings more than we desire God. We feel entitled to certain benefits, and when suffering comes we join Job in trying to argue our case before God (Job 13:3 et al). We aren’t content to eat at the King’s table and enjoy being part of His family. God gives us Himself and we want more! (Check out Natalie Grant’s song “More Than Anything.”) We may be poor witnesses for the Gospel if we seek the gifts more than the Giver. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5). It is His mercy that matters, not our blessings.

If Christianity were inextricably linked to health, wealth, and other visible blessings, we wouldn’t have any trouble convincing people to join up. But what God offers us is reconciliation with Him and adoption into His family for eternity. That may not sound too appealing to many people. Who needs that when they can have all that they want without having to read the Bible or obey God?

May we learn the contentment of having peace with God. In that way our lives can reflect the glory of the God who saved us in our sin and weakness.

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16a).

© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.