Called to Contentment

w r i t t e n OCT. 10 th 2022

As we were coming to Darling and I was repacking all of my things, I left behind so many things that I didn’t actually need in this second community. Could I have used them? Yeah, absolutely but I didn’t need them. The front of my journal says "keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly." It has the verse Matt 11:28 which says “come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” which can mean so many things but we truly need to rest in God and have comfort in everything he has in store. And have comfort and confidence in the things that we already have. In that I was reminded of our call to be content.

I looked in to what contentment means ( with the limited resources I had, no internet, no library just my Bible and all the papers that were shoved in there and forgotten about - talk about being content with what we have, I only had His word). As I dug deep into the words trying to learn about true contentment almost all the verses I found were in the New Testament. I realized that true contentment can only come through the Son. He died so we could have contentment in him. And it’s actually a sin to not be content; you are wanting more that what God has given. It is a choice to be content.  Just like it’s a choice to have joy. If you are basing contentment on your circumstances you are not truly content.

So what does it mean to truly be content and where can we choose to be content?

It means choosing to be content in our:

1. Circumstance.

Philippians 4: 10-13

In this time Paul faced a lot of persecution. He was a traveling missionary. He didn’t have a lot of material things in his life. Like clothes or shoes.

Despite that he chose to be content.

V. 11 says "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am called to be content."

The church of Philippi was the only church who partnered with Paul to support him. He had no other source of income except that church. He had to rely on God for provision but he also had to chose to be content in that because what God supplies is sufficient.

V.19 says and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory of Jesus Christ.   

Paul saw the value in choosing to be content. He could either desire more and want more and live with the world  or choose to live content knowing that God is who he says He is and he will provide for every need.  Which not only allowed Paul to have peace because he wasn’t worrying about what he needs but it also allowed him to have joy. True contentment will grant peace and joy just as Christ does no matter the complexities of life.

We are called to be content in all circumstances.

Called to be content in everything that God has provided. He provides us with everything we need to glorify him. Sometimes God removes things from our life in order for us glorify him.

Weather you are rich or poor, heathy or unhealthy you have a decision to choose contentment or dwell in discontentment.  You can choose contentment in Christ or live with the world. H*ck Solomon was given everything - all knowledge and all wealth but he found no fulfillment in anything except God.

In Paul’s decision to choose contentment he was able to experience true freedom and joy and live in the promise of salvation.

When we live in the promise of salvation we can humble ourselves before God and that means knowing nothing can be done in our own strength.

2 . So we are called to be content in our weakness.

2 Cor  12: 6-10  says

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution and calamities. For when I am weak then I am strong."    

In this chapter Paul writes about boasting weakness instead of boasting in his strength. V.7 “A thorn was given to me in the flesh.”  The thorn made Paul weaker. It’s like stepping on a thorn and continuing to walk with it in your foot. It may slow you down but it builds resiliency to pain. And in the Lords strength you can carry on. His weakness was just another way to glorify and extend God’s grace to the things we aren’t capable of doing except through His power.

God revealed to Paul that even when he feels weak HIS STRENGTH is enough. We are called to be content when we are weak so God’s strength can shine though us. Because it is God’s strength that rested upon Paul he can find contentment. Nothing within myself or ourselves can give us true contentment. It is only through Christ’s love, and grace that we can be content.

Verse 10 says I am content with weakness. Especially over the last few months I recognized and exposed so many of my weaknesses. And sometimes our biggest weakness is the view of ourselves.

3. Our identity and who we were created to be is the last area we need to choose contentment in.

Sometimes it may seem like we aren’t enough but we are enough in Christ. He is sufficient. We were made in his image and are worthy of being saved. So why can’t we be content in the identity God has given us?

Our view of ourselves before God changes how we live our life in so many ways.   

I’m reading this book by Max Lucado. There’s this part that talks about a person’s nature to be either self secure or insecure and as people if we are self secure the view of ourself is too high and we become filled with pride. And if we are insecure we don’t see ourselves with the same potential God created us in. So instead of being self secure or insecure we need to be God secure - where our self worth is based in our identity as children of God. Which is something I’m still working on overcoming. I’m realizing contentment is also being content in the identity God gave un. Trusting that God has equipped you with all that you need in your heart and in your mind.  God has a Holy view of your identity. You have been restored in his image. As a child of God claim that. Lean in to who he has called you to be. Lean in to what he has planned. Lean in to his purpose. Lean in to your weakness so you can experience His strength. And lean in to what he has given to you.

Even when we are not enough in our identity, circumstances, or weakness Jesus is sufficient; therefore we can be content.

1 T I M 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 things we will be content.