Contented?

“Our Creator loves for us to be content.” That is a line from Sunday morning’s sermon. It’s a line from God’s Word, too; in fact, there's more than one:

- “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). [Or, as the Amplified more literally translates, ‘I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you nor let you down!’ (Hebrews 13:5). Three negatives precede the verb!]

- “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation... I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (the apostle Paul, Philippians 4:11-13 NIV).

- “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6 NIV).

Such counsel both attracts and repels us at the same time. Perhaps, like our culture around us, we’ve become afraid of “content.”

Contentment, to the world, means quitting the quest for the best. It means settling for less, leaving abilities undeveloped, and losing influence. It involves abandoning goals and ignoring the vast world of need around us. Contentment connotes complacency and lack of initiative and acceptance of the sub-standard. Therefore, we conclude, contentment is the enemy of fulfillment and achievement.

That couldn’t be further from God’s mind! He sent His Son for the express purposes that “we might have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV), and that Son promised, “If a man remains in me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit” (John 14:4-5 NIV). Christ’s disciple will reach his or her full capabilities - not by striving, but by remaining, resting, abiding.

Contentment is not our enemy. It’s the climate in which godliness best operates. Of course, Paul did say, “I have learned to be content.” It’s a learning process, and Jesus offers to be the Teacher:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).

I think that if we prayerfully meditate on those words of Jesus, and step into yoke with Him, we’ll be pleasantly surprised both at how content He genuinely desires us to be – and how very possible it is.