Contentment Contentment A poet once wrote: As a rule, man s a fool. When it s hot, he wants it cool. And when it s cool, he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not. What an insightful observation on human nature! Why are we never satisfied with what we have? Many believe that if they had more money to buy more things, they would be content. But we soon discover that no matter how much we accumulate, we never have enough. The more we have, the more we want. More often than not, we come to the end of every endeavor and acquisition frustrated, dissatisfied, discontented, and unhappy. We ask, How can I find true contentment? What makes for a contented life? Is contentment achievable? We believe it is. These selections from the devotional Our Daily Bread are intended to help you discover the secret to a contented life. If you enjoy these articles and would like to receive this devotional, just complete the request form on this brochure and send it to us. There is no subscription fee. 2011 by RBC Ministries. All rights reserved. Enough Is Enough Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Day 1 The Rat Race Ecclesiastes 4:1-8 Who am I working for?... It is all so meaningless and depressing. Ecclesiastes 4:8 sign by the roadside carried this message: I m A getting sick of the rat race. The rats keep getting bigger and faster. Many men and women, no doubt, feel that way. In spite of amazing advances in technology, people s frustration level seems as high or higher than ever. The core problem is that human nature hasn t changed. Almost 3,000 years ago, Solomon made three insightful observations about the rat race of life in his day. First, he observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors, and this was a no-win situation (Eccl. 4:4). Second, those who dropped out of the rat race became lazy and unproductive. This kind of idleness is foolish and self-destructive (v.5). Third, Solomon said that people became so obsessed with making money that they didn t form healthy relationships. This made them go through life without purpose or meaning, never satisfied with all they had worked for (v.8). Remember, Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind (v.6). To avoid compulsive grasping or selfdestructive escapism, put God at the center of your life and be thankful for what He has given you. Then you ll succeed in the rat race of life. Herbert Vander Lugt Lord, help me not to set my heart On things that pass away; Make me content with what I have, And give You thanks each day. Sper He is rich who is satisfied with what he has. Day 2 What We Don t Need 1 Timothy 6:6-11 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 1 Timothy 6:8 n the fifth century, a man I named Arsenius determined to live a holy life. So he abandoned the comforts of Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert. Yet whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he spent time wandering through its bazaars. Asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn t need. Those of us who live in a society flooded with goods and gadgets need to ponder the example of that desert dweller. A typical supermarket in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; today it carries 50,000. How many of them are absolutely essential? How many superfluous? It s hard for us to say sincerely with the apostle Paul, So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content (1 Tim. 6:8). In our constant battle against the seductive materialism of our culture, let s follow the example of Arsenius. As we walk through the markets and shopping malls, we too can rejoice at the sight of all the things we don t need. That s only the first step, however. The next step is to become much more wise in our spending, more generous in our giving to others, and more sacrificial with the resources God has given to us. Vernon Grounds As we keep on collecting more and more stuff, We sometimes complain that we don t have enough; But let us be thankful for what God has sent With food and with clothing may we be content. Fitzhugh Contentment comes not from great wealth but from few wants.
Day 3 Frustrated Or Content? Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. Ecclesiastes 2:18 King Solomon, who had studied diligently and worked hard for worthwhile earthly goals, realized that at his death his fortune would go to people who had not worked for it and might misuse it. This caused him to become resentful because his days of labor were filled with pain and grief and even at night his mind could not rest (Eccl. 2:23). He s not alone in feeling this way. A highly successful lawyer told me he often wonders why he works so hard. He said his sons and daughters had been misusing his money and making a mess of their lives. He knows they will probably waste everything he leaves them. Another man who had worked hard and managed his money well said sadly, All my hard work! And my kids can hardly wait for me to die. Solomon, however, didn t stay in this dejected state. He found meaning and satisfaction through faith in God. He said that inner contentment is a gift of God to His children that enables them to enjoy the fruit of their labor (v.24). God replaces frustration with contentment! The more room we give to God in our lives, the more we will have wisdom, knowledge and joy (v.26). Paul summed it up this way: Godliness with contentment is itself great wealth (1 Tim. 6:6). Herb Vander Lugt The world is filled with so much good That brings us joy and pleasure, But true fulfillment only comes When Christ we love and treasure. Sper The contented person is never poor; the discontented is never rich. Day 4 Little Or Much Philippians 4:4-13 I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11 ach generation raises the E contentment bar, it seems. With every new technological advance, we seem to need more and more things to be satisfied. My parents generation knew nothing of a family having more than one car, but my generation grew up expecting to have one at their disposal. When I was growing up, we didn t even have computers, but I hear young people today complaining because the one they have isn t the latest model. The standards for true contentment, though, know no calendar. The 21st century is bringing all kinds of marvels to our world, but it won t bring a better definition for contentment than the 2,000-year-old words of the apostle Paul. He said, I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.... I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Phil. 4:11-13) The secret of contentment is found in Christ not in man s inventions, creature comforts, techno-toys, wealth, or amusement. It s accepting what God has given us, and by His strength making the most of it. As 19th-century author Maltbie Babcock said, Contentment... is the grateful, faithful, fruitful use of what we have, little or much. Dave Branon True happiness comes not from wealth, Real peace you can never buy; The contentment that you long for Is in Christ who reigns on high. Fitzhugh We find contentment at the same place we find salvation in Christ.
Day 5 Souls And Wallets Hebrews 13:5-6 Don t love money; be satisfied with what you have. Hebrews 13:5 The book of Hebrews strikes a strange note for men and women living with the values of the 21st century. Don t love money, the writer urged, and be satisfied with what you have (13:5). He wasn t saying that having money is a sin, but it can be a problem. Our world has bought into the myth that riches and contentment go together, that they re almost the same thing. Yet, many wealthy people who boast large bank accounts are not content. They always want more, and they live in dread that they will lose what they have. Be satisfied with what you have. Well, what do you have? Do you immediately think of what s in your savings account or stock portfolio? You are looking in the wrong place. The writer of Hebrews said that if you live with faith in the Lord of eternity, you have Him. He has promised, I will never fail you. I will never abandon you (13:5). You have Him, so you can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear (v.6). If you have everything else but the Lord, you don t have much at all. If you have the Lord s presence and little else, you can be content. Better to have a satisfied soul than a thick wallet. Haddon Robinson He possessed all the world had to give him, He had reached every coveted goal; But, alas, his life was a failure, For he had forgotten his soul. Denison Our greatest riches are the riches we have in Christ. Day 6 Really Thirsty Psalm 42 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. Psalm 42:1 ave you ever been really H thirsty? Years ago, I visited my sister Kathy in Mali, West Africa. During an afternoon of seeing the sights, the temperature had risen far above 100ºF. Parched, I told her, Hey, I need something to drink. When Kathy told me she had forgotten to bring along a supply of filtered water, I began to get a bit desperate. The longer we drove, the more I wondered what it was like to truly die of thirst. Finally, Kathy said, I know where we can go, as she drove up to the gate of an embassy. Inside I beheld the most beautiful sight a water cooler! I grabbed one of the tiny paper cups and filled it again and again. My body had been deprived too long and now required lots of liquid to reverse the effects of dehydration. The psalmist compared physical thirst with spiritual thirst: As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God (42:1). His thirst was one of desperate longing for God the one and only living God (v.2). Do you long for something this world can t provide? This dissatisfaction is a thirst of the soul for God. Run to the One who alone can quench that thirst. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Ps. 107:9). Cindy Hess Kasper If we commit ourselves to Christ And follow in His way, He ll give us life that satisfies With purpose for each day. Sper Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Jesus (John 7:37)
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