Content...in?

“Yet true religion with contentment is great wealth. After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8

I know very few people that are content with what they have! We are a society that always wants more; more wealth, more success, better and new entertainment, etc. Just recently I came across a couple of passages written by Paul that opened my eyes to a realization I have been missing. Better yet the Lord lifted the veil and opened my heart! He showed me something about Paul that I admire and crave to obtain! He showed me that there is a difference between what to be content with and what not to be content with.

Number 20 on our list of things to crave-Contentment

In our first passage Paul shows us contentment from a material perspective. By saying if you have food and clothes then be content, because you came into the world with nothing and you are going to leave the world with nothing! He also says at the beginning, in order to have great wealth then seek true religion and contentment. If you are searching for wealth from the world then misery and disappointment are sure to follow.

In passage two Paul shows us contentment in times of suffering.

“Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

I want you to notice how he starts his statement; “Since I know it is all for Christ’s good…” Wow, Paul said if it makes Christ shine and brings Him good than I will and have found contentment in being insulted, persecuted, beat, locked up, and hungry.  We can’t even be content with the clothes we wear or the jobs we have. But for Paul, it was not about the worldly stuff, and it should not be about that for us. Paul knew that when he was weak Christ was strong, and because of that he had to seek him every day.

The point I want to make is this. So many of us are never content with anything, but we are content with our spiritual walk. We are content with attending church when it benefits us. We are content with reading our bibles when we see fit. We are content with only praying when we are faced with trouble or sickness. We are content with only reaching those in the church, while those outside the church are dying. We are content with being members but not ever getting involved. We are content with dropping our children off at church while we go home. We are content with merely existing, then fulfilling our purpose for existing. We are content with letting others do the spreading of the Good News. We are even content with saying the reason we don’t go to church or mess with the whole religion thing is because there are too many hypocrites! If we are doing it for any other reason than for Jesus, we are doing it wrong!

I believe that if we are content with where we are at spiritually, than we are not maturing spiritually. We should be searching and longing for more of Christ and we should seek that contentment everyday until He returns!

Prayer; Jesus may we never become content in our walk with you!  In Jesus name, Amen