"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is My Helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV).
Below are some vital truths about contentment:
Contentment means being grateful for where you are as you aspire for the next level: Contentment is not passivity or unambitiousness, rather it is healthy ambition. Contentment will not allow David to kill King Saul even when the latter was after his life. Though he knew he was going to replace Saul as king of Israel, he will not touch Saul (even when he had a golden chance to do so),but chose to wait for God's perfect timing for him to ascend the throne(1 Samuel 24:1-7). The content person is grateful for his/her present position as he/she looks to heaven for promotion.
Contentment is simply the opposite of covetousness: To be covetous is to be greedy, and be lustful for what belongs to another person. The Bible in Ephesians 5:5 calls covetousness idolatry. Idolatry means to worship another other than the true God. The tenth commandment warned against idolatry while three other commandments have a bearing with it (Exodus 20:1-12). Many who profess to know God deny Him through their activities simply because of covetousness.
Contentment is satisfaction: It is not looking over your neighbour's yard to check out the new car he just bought with a mind of buying something better. The content person competes against himself, striving to maximize his resources. His yardstick for success is his potential i.e what he is able to do that he hasn't done, or what he is able to become that he has not become. His measuring line for success is not his neighbor, sibling or friend's acheivement.
Contentment is having a simple lifestyle: The content person is very much aware of Jesus' words in Luke 12:15 which states, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." The content person knows that having more stuff does not mean having more happiness, more fulfillment and more joy. The slogan of the content person is "I will not buy it till I can truly afford it."
Contentment is being assured that God is the guarantee of the future: Many revert to unscrupulous practices of stealing and amassing great wealth corruptly because in their warped thinking they want to secure the future. The content person is acutely aware of our opening passage of Hebrews 13:5-6, he knows God has promised never to fail and therefore he boldly declares the Lord is My helper. He trusts implicitly in God to provide for the future.
Contentment confers stability: Apostle Paul said I have learned in whatever state I find myself to be content(Philippians 4:11-12). He was the same person when he had abundance and also the same person when he suffered lack and hunger. Paul knew how to rely on God's promises finding great hope and comfort in the scriptures, and this brought contentment to him. Material acquisitions or lack of it didn't dictate his mood, feelings and behavior towards other people.
Conclusion: The big question to ask as this year runs out is, what is motivating and driving your aspirations? Contentment is a great virtue to cultivate. It delivers a quiet assurance into one's heart even when the world around may seem to be collapsing. God dwells with the content, because those who believe in Him are truly the ones who enter into His rest (Hebrews 4:3).
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