Contentment

No, not my preferred topic and I dislike discussing it as I continue to struggle with it on a daily basis. But it’s wise to address a problem and deal with it before it gets out of hand and leads you down the path of no return. It was a struggle, it is a struggle and hesitantly I have to admit it will continue to be a struggle till our spirit separates from the physical body. So, I thought I would share my struggle and raise awareness about this topic.

As soon as you read the topic contentment you may have all sorts of verses popping in your head about contentment, for the sake of brevity let me quote Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV), Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” I read from a calendar on my desk these words – Contentment is a feeling that envelops you when you’re truly thankful for what you have and are no longer seeking to acquire more. Those words were hard to swallow when I read it the first time, but it stuck with me, I am nowhere closer to where I want to be but I think I have something to work with.

I was listening to this sermon and the man of God said, ‘Abraham was content with a tent for a dwelling’. Though we know certain things for a fact, at some point it hits you at the right spot! The thought is bothering because we all know three facts about Abraham which almost makes that statement impossible. One, he came from a place where there were houses of brick and mortar, secondly, he was wealthy enough to build a solid house and lastly, he had the manpower to undertake such a task. But, he was content with a tent for a dwelling?!

Now I’m thinking to myself, did Abraham have no motivation to make a name for himself, like Nimrod? He had no ambition in life? Are you telling me that he did not have the desire to live in a comfortable house, safe from the elements? Did he not care for his family’s comfort, think about poor old Sarah and the little boy Isaac? What’s wrong with the man?! That’s when I stumbled upon Hebrews 11:10, For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

One, he had faith to leave when God told him to leave, second, he stayed where he was told to stay, but as a foreigner, third and the best one, he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God! Ah, now that makes sense! He was looking beyond the rubble what his feeble hands could assemble. His focus was dwelling with God! His focus was God! I guess that explains the reason why our forefathers left the wealth and inheritance that could be theirs and set out to follow God in the early days of Pentecostal movement in Kerala. They struggled, their wife and children suffered, but they had a connection with God which is foreign to us, they knew where they were headed, and demons would flee when they walked in. Now we, as their successors, have gained many things which they could care less for and lost a bunch which they would die for! Where are we heading? What picture of faith are we painting for our next generation when all we are talking about is wealth creation, investment and advancement in life? Are we, for real, reading the same bible as our forefathers used to read? Either we are not reading the word, or we are misinterpreting what is written! We are not content with what we have and for the sake of empty gain we have lost the real deal, the anointing of the HolySpirit! It is affecting our walk with God. Let’s get back before it's too late, more time we take, more loss we’ll make. Let us not forget that God who gave the increase also knows how to decrease, tail to head can also turn head to tail, read Deuteronomy if in doubt.

Let us soberly calculate the cost of discontentment. We know right off the bat, it’s expensive! Why don’t we just list it, so its east to remember –

- We will be constantly looking for new things/stuff to fulfill our desires & keep us entertained.

- It will trip us into a rabbit hole of never ending discontentment and constant striving for more.

- Consumerism, which will lead to credit card debts.

- Standard of living you can barely afford and slaving away the rest of your life.

- We will get busier and busier.