To be content means that one is Happy. Happiness is a state of one’s being when things around them are going as expected or well in the person’s opinion. It can be a sense of satisfaction or fulfillment, however fleeting. Our environment is temporal at most—always changing—fluid in nature. If our surrounding is always changing then our level happiness is as elastic as it is. Joy, or
Godly contentment is much different because of its root difference. Whereas happiness is based on those things of our world (our environment), Godly contentment is solely based on God.
What is the opposite of contentment? Discontentment for sure. It is often easier to detect the latter rather than the former due to the outward appearance that often accompanies one but not the other. With discontentment, there is often grumbling, complaining, negative thoughts and cynicism. No one really starts their morning desiring discontentment but often it starts after turning on the TV, hearing the news, having an argument with a loved one, nagging problems that still exist from the prior day and a myriad of other disappointments.
So, what might our Lord think of one of His children, deep in despair, and voicing his or her displeasure or discourse. Their discontentment if often vented in His direction—the last place that deserve such discontentment. He hates it. It almost exterminated the Israelite's (Numbers 11).
Discontent has been around since Adam and as far back as the reason for Satan being cast out of heaven. God didn’t take kindly to the Israelite’s discontent in the case cited for He sent down fiery serpents, many where bitten and died. Thankfully, we are currently under His grace and mercy, but it does not negate the anger He has when we act as malcontents.
I suspect it is like calling God a liar by directly or indirectly denying that He is good and that He provides our every need. It is a form of distrust. Can you imagine telling God that you do not trust Him? That would-be self-destruction behavior regardless of His mercy.
Let us examine how we can be content rather than the natural opposite for mankind—as it seems.
First, contentment—real contentment---Godly contentment is an attitude of the heart rather than the mind.
POINT #1: Thank God for what you have
Remember this: God owes us nothing. He is the Creator and we the created. No matter how little we have, it is more than we deserve. Count your blessings one-by-one, my Mother always told us kids.
If you are suffering—Give Him thanks for others are suffering more than you.
Give Him thanks for the medicines, medical experts, hospitals and insurance that He has provided.
Give Him thanks that there will be an end of your suffering.
Give Him thanks for chastening you for He cares about the course you are on and is only trying to make the necessary course correction with your best interest in mind.
Consider yourself a son or daughter when chastened by God. My Father always told us kids “I wouldn’t take the time to discipline you kids if I didn’t love you.” It took me years to understand it and to discover where He had received such wisdom.
God explains that it is all for our benefit (Hebrews 12:7-11). Should we not be content in His wisdom?
POINT #2: God gives all that good He has—nothing less
We must always remember that when we feel our prayers seem to go unanswered. Perhaps God is trying to tell you “you do not need that. I know what is best for you.” Do we not do the same things for our own children? Do we or did we give them everything they asked for? “Dad, could I have a machine gun like Billy’s dad just bought him?”
POINT #3: Seek that which is Heavenly
{2} Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
It only stands to reason, if God does not without good things from His Children, and if our minds are only on those things that are of heaven (Godly things), then how could we not be content (Colossians 3:2)?
Discontent comes when we take our eyes off of Him and redirect them to Satan and his kingdom here on earth. When or if we do that, we must understand that it is due to our bad choices—that we have discontent, anger, failure and more than our share of trouble.
The troubles will not stop until we are supplanted from this old earth to our place in the clouds and beyond but when served lemons—make lemonade.
