What is Contentment?

 

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 

Philippians 4:10-11

One of the greatest benefits of joy to our earthly life is contentment. We have read about God’s peace as guarding our hearts, our focus on Jesus as purifying our life and then making us a blessing to others. Now joy becomes a blessing to our earthly life as we find release from stress and worry and fear and shame and guilt – all those things which cause us to be anxious and troubled. 

Jesus’ words to His disciples, as He told them He was going to die and leave them (John 14), was that they should not let their hearts be troubled. He was not asking them to hide their heads, like an ostrich hides his head in the sand so he cannot see danger, in order to keep their hearts from being troubled. Rather, Jesus told them openly He was about to die. He would no longer be with them constantly as He had been for the past three years and more.

Jesus does not ask us to ignore the troubles around us either. He asks us to be watchful (Matthew 25:13), prayerful (Romans 12:12), and wise in our dealings with the world around us (Matthew 10:16). He wants us to understand the truth about the things we see in our lives – it is not all about us, but it is all about a great battle being waged between God and His archenemy, Satan – a battle between good and evil. We do not need to be pawns in this battle – leading us to fear and resentment over things which we cannot control; He wants us to be warriors in this battle on His side – leading to glory and honor for eternity.

Contentment comes from the certainty of knowing God. We know for certain that He has already won the battle. We know for certain that His plan will succeed. We know for certain that what He has begun in us He will also complete in eternity (Philippians 1:6). We know for certain that everything happening to us in this life is something that He makes into good for us (Romans 8:28).

Contentment is not something passive in our life. Rather, it is active. It is gained in battle within ourselves, for our human nature is not satisfied with contentment – it constantly wants “more” of what it considers good for us.

Walk Like Enoch Did

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Matthew 10:39

I read a book, The Great Omission: A Biblical Basis for World Evangelism by Robertson McQuilkin.

Much of it has spoken to my heart and voiced the things that concern me about myself. God really spoke to my heart about His Great Commission and His desire that myself and our family be involved in mission outreach. This blog exists because of His words to my heart. Yet, in the day to day of living, I often find my passion lessening. I could blame it on our recent move to a new home or the needs of a family of 8 which seem never ending, but honestly, I think it's that I'm just not desiring God enough.

The things of this world so easily satisfy. When life is good overall, everyone is healthy, there's plenty of family, friends, food, clothing, entertainment...I'm just not thinking of God throughout the day. I'm happy. I'm content. I'm satisfied. And that...is the subtle draw of this world. Like Esau who chose the stew that Jacob made for him (to satisfy his present appetite) over the first-born blessing that God had promised him...I so often choose the things of this world over the things of God.

I think back to the toughest periods of my life when things were sad, uncertain, hectic, tiring, confusing and so very stressful. It's these times, more than any, when I had focused on God. I prayed all the time. I sensed His presence so very closely. Like Enoch (Genesis 5:24), I was walking with God every day throughout the day. 

But now, "I have discovered that if Satan can't get me with destruction, he will try to get to me with distraction," (Beth Moore - Believing God). He wants to distract me from what the Lord finds most important...the saving of human souls for His glory. God wants to lead us into His perfect will for our lives, but we would often rather stay where things are comfortable, predictable and safe.  

"Why is it so difficult to replace a sophisticated way of life with a simple lifestyle in the face of incredible human need in the world? Why is it so difficult to say farewell to warm personal relationships and the security of a loving family and church and commit one’s life to penetrating the dark half of the world for the sake of people who are desperately lost? Why will so few abandon an occupation that makes full use of their vocational interests and opportunities to invest life in reaching the multitudes now out of reach of gospel witness? Is it that we don’t care? At least it is that we don’t care enough. We are committed to choose, act, and live on the basis of self-interest. In the conflict of loves, we choose to save our lives, not lose them. But in saving, we lose. "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" Matthew 10:39  (Robertson McQuilkin)

Jesus was tempted to choose preservation, safety, comfort, but "it was love for the Father that dominated in that titanic struggle of the loves: “not my will, but yours be done,” Jesus prayed (Luke 22:42). John explains in great detail that such obedience is the proof of love. He wrote, “This is love for God: to obey his commands” (1 John 5:2, 3). It will not do to proclaim our love for God and then not obey Him.

Is there any command more forceful than the Great Commission? Is there any greater disobedience than a church squandering its resources on itself for twenty centuries, refusing to live and die in behalf of a world for whom Jesus Christ gave His life?

Love in the Bible is more verb than noun. More than an emotion it is behavior. To love as God loved is to live in behalf of others at any cost to self—indeed, to die in behalf of others if necessary.

Jesus is able to awaken us with those incredible words given first on the night of His mighty resurrection, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Let us respond to His outpouring of love, embracing Him with all our lives until we become even as He is (1 John 4:17)." (Robertson McQuilkin)

"We have only one turn on this green earth. We will never get to do this again. We cannot do a hundred things to the glory of God, but we can certainly do a few. What you and I need is focus. Day in and day out. Eyes on the goal," (Beth Moore). 

May the Lord help us to focus on Him, walk with Him daily as Enoch did, choose His will over ours as Jesus did, and have our hearts broken and our lives dedicated to sharing the Gospel with the lost for the glory of the Lord!