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Does Contentment in Christ Come with a Nap?
Contentment is one of those things that we all want to have yet we rarely feel as though we have it. Contentment is elusive and widely desired by everyone—not just Christians. Some world religions would hold out simplicity and asceticism as the solution to discontentment. Vain materialism is an attempt to achieve contentment. Surely you can think of instances where you have seen people pursue contentment through sheer buying power.
If there is discontent bound up in your heart then there is no room in your house where you can go and feel peace. You will, as I have, attempt to create the perfect environment that is rid of distractions so that you can focus. At the end of the day you will find out that the chaos isn’t your environment—it’s in your heart. Christian contentment is about so much more than being happy with what you’re wearing or the size of your savings account or the aesthetic quality of your home. Experiencing grace in the mundane is about far more than counting your blessings or being thankful for the life you’ve been given.
We all want to learn contentment, but we don’t always enjoy the learning part. It takes a gutsy grace to ask God to teach us contentment, because part of us may be fearful of what the Lord may withhold from us in the process. But because God is a good Father, we have nothing to fear. He is the giver of all good gifts, and the best gift of all, of course, is the gift of himself. Do you want to say, with Paul, that you have learned to be content in whatever situation? Stake your happiness in Christ alone. Taste and see that he will satisfy you forever.
Contentment is one of those things that we all want to have yet we rarely feel as though we have it. Contentment is elusive and widely desired by everyone—not just Christians. Some world religions would hold out simplicity and asceticism as the solution to discontentment. Vain materialism is an attempt to achieve contentment. Surely you can think of instances where you have seen people pursue contentment through sheer buying power.
If there is discontent bound up in your heart then there is no room in your house where you can go and feel peace. You will, as I have, attempt to create the perfect environment that is rid of distractions so that you can focus. At the end of the day you will find out that the chaos isn’t your environment—it’s in your heart. Christian contentment is about so much more than being happy with what you’re wearing or the size of your savings account or the aesthetic quality of your home. Experiencing grace in the mundane is about far more than counting your blessings or being thankful for the life you’ve been given.
We all want to learn contentment, but we don’t always enjoy the learning part. It takes a gutsy grace to ask God to teach us contentment, because part of us may be fearful of what the Lord may withhold from us in the process. But because God is a good Father, we have nothing to fear. He is the giver of all good gifts, and the best gift of all, of course, is the gift of himself. Do you want to say, with Paul, that you have learned to be content in whatever situation? Stake your happiness in Christ alone. Taste and see that he will satisfy you forever.
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About this Plan
Sometimes life feels a lot like a burden—day in and day out it’s the same chores and tasks, anxieties and responsibilities. So where is God in all of this? Does he care about the way we unload the dishwasher or balance the budget? Do the little things like changing diapers make a difference? We all need encouragement to see the reality of God’s grace in all of life.
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