How To Attain Contentment
Posted by Ryan Geiger on January 28, 2010 · 4 Comments
Love my life group and last night we had an incredible discussion on what does it mean to be content? Can we actually attain contentment or does the pursuit of contentment really reflect my desire to “feel” a certain way regardless of what it is that God wants for me? They say the opposite of contentment is greed. I would also say that the opposite of contentment is selfishness, not just with the physical but with the spiritual and emotional. I can be selfish for more than just the physical.
I think I am a selfish person by nature and yet that is the area that God has been working with me the most on. Here’s the deal, I will do almost anything for anybody, I will help out whoever but in the back of my mind I am asking the question, “What will I get out of this? What’s in it for me?” Taking mental notes and keeping track of favors. Ever do that? If so, chances are your selfish and may not have even known it. Greed can be self deceiving and it can also be easily justifiable. It may be near to impossible to discern in my own life but I can pick it out in someone else very clearly.
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12a Fight the good fight for the true faith.
As I read this passage in 1 Timothy 6 I think that I am not to pursue contentment but I am to pursue righteousness and a godly life and faith and love and perseverance and gentleness and by pursuing those things that have nothing to do with me but have everything to do with God than I possibly will be content. Maybe true contentment is a response to full submission to God.
How would you define greed? How would you define contentment? Can we ever attain contentment?
Greed – sacrificing people & relationships with more “stuff” that you don’t need to survive.
Contentment – usually a temporary state of being grateful & thankful for the moment, blessings, & relationships in your life.
Contentment can be both a good & bad thing. It is okay to be content with what you have when your needs are met or in a relationship. I believe it can be a bad thing if in your contentment you become comfortable & unwilling to move out of your comfort zone for your own situation, relationships, & especially for God. You can be content with your job, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take extra courses, or pursue certifications or degrees. Your contentment, which can be a blessing, can be your downfall if you become too comfortable.
Make sense in how I’m trying to explain that?
Great post Ryan! I do believe greed and selfishness go hand-in-hand. One begets the other and neither can ever lead to contentment. I agree with your conclusion… real and true contentment will never be found unless we are living a life which pursues one goal: Pleasing an Audience of One.
Only when we die to ourselves can we truly live!
I sat at the life group Ryan referred to last night basically silent. Not purposely, but I found my mind focusing on why I am never content. We discussed who is rich and wealthy and I internally argued that I am not either. I immediately thought of bills that are past due, medical limitations that keep Lisa and I from activities we really would enjoy, roadblocks that are keeping me from the promotions I “deserve,” case workers that pierced us deep by keeping Chase from us, and the list goes on.
As I sat quietly in my own mental pity party, Dr. Luke was bold enough to shame me back into reality. I am rich, blessed far beyond what I have earned or deserved. I have life, breath, a home, a wonderful bride, a loving family, two cars, cable w/ high-speed, a PS3, even a plethora of coats to wear, based on how I’m dressed and where I’m going…and the list goes on. So why am I so discontent?
Ryan hit the nail on the head, selfishness and self-centeredness.
I agree with Betty in that being “content” with my own mediocrity, even worse, being contentment in my own accomplishments and abilities, is dangerous and I would argue not true contentment at all. As with most things of value in life, I find it important to discern the difference between the human contentment and the true, divine contentment that we can get only from God. I have strived for my entire adult life to reach a point I could be content. But I think I took the wrong path. I was pursuing the basic version not the premium version that God’s word speaks so highly of.
So what to do now? I need a plan, I need direction, and the good news is, we have that plan spelled out in the verses Ryan quoted above. Doesn’t look as easy as I would have hoped, but my plan has been poorly constructed and leads to very little contentment, and none of the premium version that I really need. Pray for the Not-Yet-Rated small group as we struggle to “Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness”
To answer one of Ryan’s questions, I do believe we can attain real contentment. Every one of the traits we are charged to pursue in this contentment plan are attainable, perhaps not 100% but we CAN get there. The way I read it, if we pursue these things God is promises to give us a peace in Him that will leave me with no choice but to find contentment in what he is doings in me, for me, and through me.
All great comments from you guys. The best part is each of us brings a different perspective on this and yet God is weaving each of our stories to attain our own level of “contentness” that He sees fit to grant us. Thanks for reading and thanks for adding value to the conversation. It is much appreciated.