CONTENTMENT

 

Let your way of life be 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,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?”

-Hebrews 13:5-6y

True and real contentment is liberating. There is freedom from the love of things  in contentment. Not only the love of things but hunger  for recognition, accolades, honor, and prestige.  Godliness with contentment is great gain. One can find contentment only when you discover its secret. Contentment is a superb Christian virtue that grows over time.  It does not come quickly, easily or naturally. Paul says “I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:12). The great Christian saints are those who went through the crucible of testing and winnowing process that all that remains in them are not things or reputation or status but the liberating spirit of real contentment.  

The Great Apostle Paul said he learned the secret of being content. How? This is the secret, he said,

“10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[d] who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-12, NLT)

 He is saying: “There were times when I had plenty. But then God brought me to situations where I was ‘in need.’ And through that I learned something: I discovered the secret of being content.”

God used the experience of loss to produce the good fruit of contentment in Paul’s life. Have you discovered the secret of being content?

Jeremiah Burroughs described contentment as “a rare jewel.” How can you find joy in what God gives you, especially when it is less than you had before? Burroughs has great wisdom on how to obtain this jewel:

“A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition as by way of subtraction… Contentment does not come by adding to what you have, but by subtracting from what you desire. The world says that you will find contentment when your possessions rise to meet the level of your desires… The Christian has another way to contentment, that is, he can bring his desires down to his possessions.”

 

 

SO SIMPLE

 

SO SIMPLE

The best parts of life are so very simple with very few needs and seem to come with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and satisfaction-no matter how big or small our bank accounts, our accumulations or the lists of our accomplishments are. And yet for most of us  the worries and obstacles of today will try their best to contradict and steal from us what we know to be true- that it is in the simple pleasures of life and ultimately in our relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord that we find fulfillment and contentment.

Take it from the experience of the great Saint Paul who declared, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” (Philippians 4:12)

THE CONTENTED FISHERMAN

THE CONTENTED FISHERMAN

Anthony de Mello wrote of the conversation between a rich man and a fisherman.

One lazy day the rich man found the fisherman lying beside his boat smoking a pipe.

The rich man was horrified. “Why aren’t you out fishing?” the rich man asked.

“Because I have caught enough fish for the day,” the fisherman answered.

“Why don’t you catch some more?” the rich man demanded.

“What would I do with it?” replied the fisherman.

“Earn more money. Then you could have a motor fixed to your boat and go into deeper waters and catch more fish. That would bring you money to buy nylon nets, so more fish, more money. Soon you would have enough to buy two boats... even a fleet of boats. Then you could be rich like me,” explained the rich man.

“What would I do then?”  asked, the fisherman.

“Then you could really enjoy life,” the rich man asserted.

“What do you think I am doing now?” said the fisherman.

The rich man fell silent and shook his head.  Did he get the lesson?

In the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians the great apostle rejoiced that the Christians in the church at Philippi were concerned for him, particularly his needs. He was very thankful, but he made no demands from them.

This Saint of Christ wrote, “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for 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, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”(Philippians 4:10-13)

True contentment cannot come from endless striving and struggling to have more. In the story, the rich man believed that contentment could only come from prosperity. But many,  who live prosperous lives have great difficulty in striving for contentment. The more plenty they have the more they want more of it. 

St. Paul said he has learned the secret of being content. Most people are looking for it in different places but they could not find it, because it is a secret hidden from the carnal mind.

Contentment does not depend upon circumstances. St. Paul learned the secret because he knew how to be contented, whether he had plenty or none, and was able to rejoice in every situation. For St. Paul the secret of contentment is to be fully surrendered to the will and purpose of God, so he could rest easy regardless of the state he was in.  This is only possible, said the saint, through Christ who gives him strength.

 (Photo from Wikimedia commons)

NINE BIBLICAL FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES

NINE BIBLICAL FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES

1. GOD IS THE SOURCE
2. GIVE FIRST
3. LIVE ON A MARGIN
4. SAVE MONEY
5. KEEP OUT OF DEBT
6. BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE
7. KEEP RECORDS
8. DON'T CO-SIGN
9. WORK HARD AND SEEK GODLY COUNSEL

THE TENTH IS PRACTICE ALL OF THE ABOVE.