Prov 15:16
16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
If we have the fear of the Lord, what good is the worlds treasures if there is turmoil with it? Our goal in life is not riches but an honest heart with God. With the fear of the Lord we will have the true rewards.
Luke 3:14
14Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."
Are we content with the money we make? No one really is. In my reading and in my life experience I have found that there is never enough money. This is not only in secular realm but also Christian. People always want more. Contentment takes away that want. Contentment frees us to work according to God's purposes and not mans.
1 Tim 6:6
6But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
People teach riches from the gospel. Yes there are riches promised in the Bible in many places. There also is persecution promised. Are the people that preach riches preaching the persecution? If they aren't are they tickling our ears? We should be honest with God, ourselves and others. To accept one side of the teaching of the Bible while completely ignoring the flip side of the same question is to present an illusion.
With contentment we have great gain. There are many tests in life. Do we fail the tests because we refuse to see Bible truth?
1 Tim 6:8
8If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
Do not work for the things which perish but for what will last for eternity!
Heb 13:5
5Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
If we are content with Jesus then the world has no hold on us.
2 Cor 9:8
8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
Grace brings abundance. Seek God and His grace. With God's grace we can be about the good deeds God has for us.
Phil 4:11-13
11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
One of the most famous Scriptures is Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The context of this verse is contentment. There are listed here
1.In whatever circumstance I found myself in.
2.Humble means
3.Prosperity
4.Being filled
5.Going hungry
6.Having an abundance
7.Suffering need
8.Nothing is impossible through Christ
Paul is content in each of these instances. He has learned how to live this way by going through them. Our contentment should not be based on our circumstances but on Jesus Christ who lives within our hearts. When Jesus is with us then the circumstances don't change our inner contentment.
Then the question is asked, “What causes contentment?” Contentment should come from Jesus not what we have or don't have. When we have Jesus in our heart and can talk to Him there is nothing the world can do to us.
The world can't take away our money because its Jesus money not ours. Satan can't take our health because Jesus healed us at the cross. We can rest in the promise of God that He will heal us. For it says so multiple times in the Book.
If we are separated from our loved ones then God will comfort us in our loneliness.
If we are living in humble means we are content with that because God is our source. Or if we are living in prosperity we can use our abundance to help others
We can live in contentment when we are filled by using the energy of this to work hard for the kingdom of God.
If we are hungry we can use the desire to fill our bodies as a reminder of other Christians and their dire needs around the world and pray for them with earnestness.
2 Cor. 12:9,10 “
9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
It is through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
Contentment should not be based on our comfort. Base your life on serving God and you will have a satisfactory life.
Boast of weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties for when you do the power of Christ will come. Does the power of Christ depend on our attitude? Do we waist our sorrows if we have the wrong attitude? Using each thing life throws at us will make us stronger as we rely on God in all that comes our way. Trials are productive when they are looking to Jesus and not our circumstances.
Hebrews 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
