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Religious: Are you truly content?
Pastor Arnie Wyllie
for South Peace News
Listen to these words of the Apostle Paul that he wrote while in a Roman prison:
“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.” (Philippians 4:12)
Are you a contented person? Are you satisfied with yourself, and with your life?
Are you content with your job? Do you look forward to going to work? Do you love the people you work with?
How about your marriage? Are you content? Do you and your spouse get along well all of the time, part of the time, or just some of the time?
Maybe you are single and you think, “If only I were married, then I would be happy.”
Maybe you are married and you think, “If only I were single again.”
What about your body?
Are you happy with your income?
When the Apostle Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content,” it seems to me that he deserves a hearing. He is getting old. He does not have any money; he once was rich. His health is beginning to decline; he once was strong. He is in prison; he once was free.
Yet he says, “I have learned the secret of being content.”
There are enemies of contentment and there are secrets of contentment.
The first enemy of contentment is “unrealistic expectations.” When the world does not revolve around you, you are discontent. When your family and friends do not put you on a pedestal, you are discontent.
The second enemy of contentment is “unfair comparisons.” When you look around and compare yourself to others, you are sure to find someone else more beautiful or handsome, someone more gifted and talented than you, someone younger or stronger. And you will always be discontented when you compare yourself to them.
The third enemy of contentment is “unnoticed blessings.” You live in the most affluent land in the world. You have more possessions, more freedoms and more opportunities than almost anyone else. And yet, overall, you are among the most unhappy people on the face of the earth. The problem is that you do not usually consider your blessings. You take so much for granted.
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:8, “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
Today you have a whole lot more than just food and clothing, and still aren’t content. You just ignore your many blessings.
The fourth enemy of contentment is “uncontrolled ambition.” Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”
The Bible never says, “Be content with who you are.” But it does say, “Be content with what you have.” You are to be ambitious, but ambitious for the right things.
There are at least three secrets of contentment.
The first secret of contentment is to have an “attitude of gratitude.” The Bible teaches about attitude, and it is saying, “If you have an attitude that causes you to be grateful for everything God has given you, you will find contentment.” You can get up each morning and say, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
The second secret of contentment is to seek to please Jesus, and to quit worrying about pleasing people. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous, and all these other things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) If you can learn that lesson, then you will find the secret of being content.
The third secret of contentment is, “Love people, not things.” Have you ever been at a point in your life when you desperately needed someone to reach out to you? If you have someone who cares about you, someone who really loves you, someone who prays for you, someone who encourages you, then treasure that relationship. It is far more precious than any other achievement you will ever make.
What a difference your life can show when you have Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit within you.
How about you? Are you content? If you are not, the secret of contentment is putting Christ first in your life, accepting Him as your Saviour and Lord, making Him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in your life.
If Jesus is not your Saviour, make your confession of faith in Him, and be raised to walk in a new life that you may have in Jesus Christ. You will never be truly content until you do.
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