Common Sense

The Art of Contentment

Written by Jack Oosterveld

A lot of Christians today suffer from a pervasive discontentment. We seem to seek the things of the world more than we seek the things of God.

On one side we have Jesus in Matthew 6 inviting us to surrender to all the striving, anxiousness, and worry bout the future by resting in the fact that God is our Provider, Keeper and Lord. Scripture asks who can add a single hour onto their lives by worrying (Matt 6:27). We are to seek first his kingdom and then all things will be added to us (Matt 6:33).

The other side is full blown advertising telling us we need a better home, fancier car, a promotion, or a better something. All with the intent of breeding discontent which then produces anxiousness and depression. These two, anxiousness and depression, are like pouring gasoline on a fire of discontent, bringing a surge of broken marriages, defeats, and personal indirection. Getting caught up in the materialistic quest shows where we place our trust and security.

This is not new to this age. Satan's fall from heaven and Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden were both rooted in discontentment.

Biblical contentment is not sitting back with a passive, lazy or complacent attitude. Being content with less than God’s best is sin. Contentment is a determination to be all you can be in God and for his kingdom. God has called us to be all we can be in Christ. We are called to take great risks with no fear or anxiety, instead, having confidence in knowing God.

Read Joshua 1. You can see that Joshua was being everything that he could be because he was resting in God’s provision and direction; his trust and security was God. In the first chapter of Joshua, three times God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, not in himself but rather in God.

One last note. The passage in 1 Tim 6:6 says that godliness with contentment is great gain. The last number of years, millions of Christians have walked in worship, praise, prophecy and other gifts of the spirit and still they carry a lot of worldly baggage. Could it be that we have not embraced contentment? It is godliness with contentment is great gain. I challenge you to ask God to lead you through that contentment door. The world will take note.

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Common Sense Financial Ministries
22 Menlo Cres. Sherwood Park, AB T8A 0R9
phone: (780) 467-8031 (7283) fax: (780) 464-6564

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