CONTENTMENT by Ineke Cornish
Recently I read story of a rich
employer who heard one of his employees say “If I had $1000 I’d be perfectly
content. He drew out his chequebook and wrote her a cheque for $1000 saying
he’d always wanted to meet someone who was perfectly content. As he walked away
he heard her mutter ‘I wish I’d asked for $2000!”
It’s not an uncommon reaction sadly….
So often the desire for more (eg. money, power, status, popularity, etc) drives
our motivation and ambition. We strive to be successful and competitive,
thinking that if we achieve a particular goal we’d be content. In fact the
opposite is usually true and we hear time and again heart breaking stories of
very successful artists, athletes, leaders, entrepreneurs who realize that all
their success has not brought them the contentment or security they hoped for.
Studies show that when people strive
to reach a certain level of affluence thinking it would bring them happiness;
they are quickly disillusioned and continually strive to attain more.
That’s the way it works, some say its
human nature….. The apostle Paul didn’t see it that way though, he had learned
inner contentment and throughout the book of Philippians he talks about his
secret of happiness. (Philippians 4:11)-… “I have learned in whatever state I
am, to be content”
Paul certainly didn’t write this from
an easy carefree existence, he didn’t really have a great deal to be happy
about as he wrote this epistle - under house arrest, chained to Roman guards,
awaiting an audience with Caesar after his appeal so his circumstances were
pretty dire. Furthermore Paul was a controversial figure in the early church
and there were many believers who opposed him. He learned lessons of
contentment from the reality of life, suffering pain, sickness, experiencing
highs and lows.
Despite all these problems Paul was
still able to say “Rejoice in the Lord and again I will say rejoice”
Philippians 4:4
Paul placed his source of contentment not in
circumstances or in what he had but in Whom he knew, and the Whom can only ever
be the true source of peace and happiness- Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 13:5 says “...be content with
such things as you have. For He Himself has said I will never leave you or
forsake you”
It is because of this promise from God that we can be truly
content. It doesn’t matter what tomorrow might bring, nothing and no-one can
rob us of the Lord’s presence and His perfect peace. Like Paul we may face
trials, difficulties and ultimately death but if we know Jesus as our
Lord and Saviour we can also echo his words “for me to live is Christ and to
die is gain” Philippians 1:21.
Try
reading the book of Philippians for yourself, it will give you a greater
perspective on how to be content and I pray the Lord might use His word to
speak to your heart.
