Living A Life Of Contentment

Do you remember the story of the Israelites and the manna? God had provided the manna for Israel in the wilderness not to punish them, but to sustain them. However, there came a time when they collectively became dissatisfied with the manna. They got tired of it. They thought they deserved something else. That is when God overwhelmed them with quail. I read that and I see Israel full of ingratitude for what God had done. They thought they deserved more, however, God provided their food free of charge. They didn’t have to farm, they didn’t have to work for it, and every day it just appeared for them. That sounds like a good deal to me. Yet they were not content with what they had, they convinced themselves that they needed and deserved more.

Sometimes as I hear people complain or hear people voice their discontentment I think to myself do we realize how much we have? Do we realize that there are people in the world who would laugh at our longings because all they want are the basic things to sustain life.

A 12 year old boy named David was born without an immune system. He underwent a bone marrow transplant in order to correct the deficiency. Up to that point he had spent his entire life in a plastic bubble in order to prevent exposure to common germs, bacteria, and viruses that could kill him. He lived without ever knowing human contact. When asked what he’d like to do if and when released from his protective bubble, he replied, "I want to walk barefoot on grass, and touch my mother’s hand."

When I hear stories like that I am humbled and feel guilty that my longings are for things that are so trivial, when some people long for that which I have and take for granted day in and day out. Before we move to discontentment let us count all our blessings and name them one by one. I really suggest that this thanksgiving you sit down with your family and list the blessings you have. List the big things you life, your salvation, your freedom, your income and your safety. Also list those things which you may no give much thought to, your material possessions, your comfort, and your sources of entertainment, your friends, and all your luxuries. I believe it may surprise you what the Lord has done.

We all have different levels of expectation. Those levels of expectation dictate how we will respond to things.

For example, if you are a fan of West Virginia basketball and they win half of their games this season you will be satisfied and say it was a good season. However, if you are a Duke Basketball fan and they only win half of their games it would be shocking and a disappointment. Why? Because there are different levels of expectation.

I don’t know if you ever follow baseball or not. If you do you know that the New York Yankee are a team that people either love or they hate. The reason why is because they are always good. Their manager for the past several years has been a man named Joe Torre. He had been very successful, statistically; he has been one of the best ever. The Yankees had made the playoffs every year. This year was no different. The Yankees made the playoffs, but lost in the first round. Twenty-four other teams sitting at home who would have loved to make the playoffs. For Torre and the Yankees the season was considered a great disappointment, in fact many called for Torre to be fired. Most managers get a raise when they make the playoffs. Torre got offered a pay cut which he turned down and left the Yankees. Why? The playoffs were great, but the Yankees expected to win the World Series every year and anything else is a disappointment. People have different levels of expectations.