What is Contentment?

Contentment. What is it? What does it mean?

The dictionaries definition of contentment is: peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction.

Am I content with where I’m at in life? Am I content with where God has me right now?

The big question is … Am I content with where I am spiritually? Should I ever be ok with where I am in my relationship with God? I can be ok with it but I should always strive to be in a better place with it. I should always work towards a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. Always. Relationships can take a lot of effort and this one is no different.

Phillipians 4:10-13

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, who gives me strength.

1 Timothy 6:6-9
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

How do we get to a place of being content or having peace of mind?

Our natural instinct is to look to things and sometimes other people for our satisfaction. We think that something else, like shopping, a new car, a house, a new boat or gun or even a nice backyard or landscaping can bring us contentment. We look to fill that void inside of us. Relationships can seemingly fill it too. We think a best friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife or even our children can satisfy us. Some of us look for contentment in our jobs or situations in life. We think that if things are or will go well for us, then we will be satisfied.

So if those things can’t bring us to a place of being content or having peace of mind in our lives, what can? How do we get there?

In my 40+ years of life I think I’ve learned a few things. One thing that has been the hardest for me to learn is to be content with where God has me. I think I’m finally there or sometimes almost there. Am I always content or ok with where I’m at? Honestly, I have times of wishing things were different in certain areas of my life but overall, yeah, I’m good with where God has me.

One of the keys of getting to this place is to consistently pursuing the God of the Universe and striving to become more and more like him. Easy? Sometimes. My flesh wants to come to the surface more than I want it to.

A few months ago I had an encounter with God like never before and he spoke some things to me that were life changing. I was at a point of not being content with so many areas (almost all areas) of my life and simply was at a point of having no choice but to pursue all that God has for me and being ok with wherever he wants me or whatever he has for me. Once I was able to completely surrender those parts of my life to Him, that’s when the being at a place of contentment and peace of mind came in.

As for me, I will continue to pursue all that God has for me and to become more like him. I want to be in a place of contentment and peace of mind. My heart is to constantly pursue righteousness. When I work towards righteousness, through the power of Jesus Christ, I can be content and have peace of mind. Oh how I would love to have this down perfectly.

A goal to work towards … To be more like Jesus and to pursue righteousness.