Why is that? How can we learn to be happy with what we have?
1 timothy 6:
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[c] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Phillipians 4:10....
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ[b] who strengthens me.---
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5 comments:
I want to comment on my own comment =-)
I was thinking about this topic today and started leaning toward the radical side of thinking. I thought about if Capture just flopped and I had to go completely bankrupt. Would I be content to let it go? I can honestly say that I would because I have been through many letdowns in my life and have handled them fairly well. But I began to think about a interesting point.
Does this mean that I don't have to keep trying? Where is that line between trying really hard to make something work and being content?
Of course you know that I want Capture to be extremely successful, maybe open different locations in the future, and be able to accomplish alot of things. But in that same regard, how can I be content and still accomplish my goal?
I ahve been thinking about this topic a lot since Wednesday night and really do like it.
I think that to a majority of the people in the world, that contentment is simply not fathomable. It is engrained in us from birth almost to never be happy with what we have. For most, it is material possessions. We are constantly trying to "keep up with the Joneses'" as the expression goes and not living within our means. FOr others, it is grades. You may work your tail off and do your very best on a test/project and have a grade that, to you. was less than desireable. Yes, you worked your hardest, but sometimes, your best isn't THE best, and you simply have to accept that. School is very competitive and you aren't always going to have the best grade out there.
Look at Matthew 20. The vineyard workers in the story were unhappy, almost enraged, because their co-workers received the same wages as they did, even though they had not worked as long/hard. The workers who were upset were not happy with their honest days pay for an honest days of work.
To counter that, look at Luke 21. The poor widow gave ALL that she had to the Lord. Every bit of money! Talk about being more than content with what you are blessed with. That is an example to live by.
Would any of us do that? Doubtfully. It all boils down to selfishness. Sad but true.
Jesus came to save the least of the lost. I think that at some point in time, we all have to hit that bottom point, and be among that group, in order to appreciate what we have been given and truly become content.
I think it's also very important to remember that no matter what social status/economic class/major/career/etc. you are in, if that is all you look to for contentment, you're going to come up empty handed every time. Solomon had as much as you can possibly have on earth, but he still wasn't content. In fact, he searched through enough different avenues looking for happiness that he literally wrote an entire book about it. After Solomon had attained horses, wives, slaves, money, fields, and everything else, he concluded... Fear the Lord your God. Keep His commandments. Love Him and love His work!! I think if we accomplish that, we will definitely find contentment.
The interesting thing about the word "content" is that it started as a noun, meaning "something" or "anything". Then it came to be an adjective which meant "to be satisfied with anything". But check out a nifty definition from the Oxford English Dictionary:
"Having one's desires bounded by what one has (though that may be less than one could have wished); not disturbed by the desire of anything more, or of anything different; ‘satisfied so as not to repine; easy though not highly pleased’ (J.)."
Contentment can be seen as a bad thing (why would you be satisfied with poverty or hunger?) or as a good thing (why waste time searching for something when you can be happy with what you've got?).
I like Bryan's question. Where do we as Christians draw the line between being satisfied and still searching, still trying? I don't think there has to be one. I'll elaborate on Wednesday, sans my OED.
I really enjoyed reading the posts on this topic so far. I won't be able to make it on Wed., so I am thankful that I get to see all of your insights. When I think about contentment, I go just a bit further in the text of Philippians 4, to verse 19 specifically. It says that God shall supply all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ. God has definitely spoken to me about contentment through this verse. What it says to me is not that God will supply me with the all of my physical needs. It says that He attends to my spiritual needs, something that no one else can do. Through his Son I am given grace and forgiveness of all my sins, provided with protection and guidance, driven by perseverance through trials, and promised the gift of life and an eternal home...EVERlasting! Nothing of this earth could fill any void I might feel, but the love of Christ surely does and surely will provide me with exactly what I need.
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