being content.
I received the inspiration for this post from my Pastor’s sermon this past Sunday. The sermon title was called “He Lives! What Now?” and to sum up the entire sermon in simple terms, our purpose as Believers is to show God glory in everything we do.
Everything that God created was intended to bring Him glory. The beauties of nature, the stars, the galaxies, all the animals living on our earth, reflects His glory. And God loves us so much, that He even created US to reveal His glory.
Rick Warren puts it this way, “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God.”
That is our ultimate purpose. Living for Jesus, being His hands and feet extended to our family and community, sharing the Gospel, and loving others…. That is our purpose. So then, why is it so hard to be content in that?
I know many people, including myself at times, struggle with this. If you are like me, I grew up having to plan. Plan out my life, have 5 year goals, 10 year goals, and focus on commitment and achieving them. How could I better achieve them? What can I do to be better? Make more money? Work harder. Study harder. Save more. Blah. Blah. Blah.
Now, let me make this clear, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with setting goals and planning. In fact, it is Biblical to set goals and to plan, but when you replace pursuing God with pursuing your goals and plans, it will forever lead to discontentment. Pursuing God should always be our primary pursuit, not our plans.
When we put goals that we planned for our lives in the forefront- or as my grandma likes to say, “all our eggs in one basket”- and they fall through, life is over. When it doesn’t happen on our timeline, life is over. Hearts are shattered and it becomes difficult to pick up the pieces. Sounds dramatic, I know…
The sad part is, is that many times we are too busy focusing on our purpose instead of the Father who created us and our purpose. We put so much pressure on ourselves to fulfill this “purpose” that we end up never being satisfied until it is met. And even when we are walking in it, we are never truly satisfied.
In America, we’ve been taught to believe that contentment is linked to our accomplishments or constantly getting more. Our basic value is that “more is better.” We think, “I’ll be happy when I get married.” Or “I’ll be content when I have a second child.” Or “…when my marriage is functioning on all four cylinders.” Or “…when we remodel the bathroom.”
No wonder there are so many young adults struggling with identity and purpose. No wonder depression and anxiety has sky-rocketed over the last few years. We set our eyes on these goals and plans for our lives in order to fulfill our purpose, that we forget what we have been destined to do : Love God and reveal His glory here on earth!
Pauls says this in Philippians 4:11-13 NIV,
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 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.13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
At the time of writing the letter, Paul was living in a Roman prison. Before that, he’d been beaten within an inch of his life, betrayed, and left for dead. Yet he still wrote this with gratitude and joy. You see, Paul realized that contentment is an attitude we learn and not a thing we achieve. Contentment doesn’t have anything to do with what is external – our circumstances. But it has everything to do with God doing something inside of us. The good news is that we all can learn how to become fully content with who we are, what we are, and what we’re doing. How? Through our supernatural relationship with Jesus Christ.
Contentment comes with knowing WHOSE we are. And when our identity is firmly planted in God’s love for us, then that is how you know you are walking in the direction of contentment.
So, how can we learn to be content? First we must understand a few things:
Understand that in Christ, you have more than enough.
Our God is a God of abundance, not depravity. And we can see this all throughout Scripture :
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. - Psalm 34:10
Sometimes it’s hard to see how full of abundance we are when our circumstances are telling us that we are in lack. I remember this one moment some months ago a couple blessed me with some money. Money that I desperately needed. I remember feeling so blessed and so loved by God in that moment. I immediately started to plan on how that money was going to get used by the bills I needed to pay off. The same exact day that I received it, the Lord told me to give away half of it to another family. I was so confused. I even got a little upset knowing very well that God knew I needed this money. How could He ask me to give away half of it? But because I love my Daddy God and desire to obey Him with everything inside of me, I gave away my money that I was blessed with. Through tear-streaked eyes and a strong grip, it left my hands. A few weeks later, another couple comes up to me and would you believe it, they blessed me with double the amount of money that I had received from the previous couple! God will always take care of us. And in Christ, we have more than enough. You see, even though to some I may not make a lot of money or may be in lack, but God has always taken care of every single one of my needs. I am abundantly blessed.
A true understanding of our own spiritual abundance should move us to action. Not feeling. To you it may sound crazy, but it really is the heart of the Gospel. In Mark 12, Jesus even commends a widow for giving away “all she had to live on.” Even though she didn’t have much, she gave all she had. She acted on her spiritual abundance knowing that Christ was more than enough for her.
In order to understand being content, we must understand this :
2. Understand that it’s okay to be honest when you want something you don’t have.
Knowing your abundance in Christ doesn’t mean denying your desires. Maybe you are single and desire to have the spouse God has in store for you, or you are desiring a better-paying job, or maybe you desire to know what you are going to do with your life… You shouldn’t have to deny your desires. Sometimes we make the mistake of believing that contentment means having this attitude of denying our wants, lying to ourselves and others, and pep-talking our way to happiness. But a truly content person has the courage to admit when they want something they don’t have. Why? Because they know that regardless of those unmet desires, God has given them all that they need; He has them right where they need to be.
In Matthew 26:39 we see Jesus do this very thing,
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
I love this verse. Why? Because it shows that Jesus doesn’t pretend to be thrilled about His death on the cross. He actually admits His desire for a different outcome. Even in Jesus’ question to God, we notice that Jesus doesn’t accuse His Father of holding out on him. Instead, with those words, “not as I will, but as you will,” he acknowledges the Father’s ultimate sovereignty in directing His path, whether it’s a path He likes or not.
Another great example we can find in Scripture is Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 :
7 … I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
This is one of my favorite scriptures, because we see that Paul is not afraid to admit that this thorn in his flesh torments him. However, like Jesus, he trusts in the sovereignty of God’s plan. Life may not be exactly like you may have planned it. I know mine isn’t… but contentment is not the absence of want. You’re allowed to want more, while still knowing that what you have, where you are, and what God’s having you do is good and more than enough.
In order to understand being content, we must :
3. Understand that we can choose to identify with our wants or our abundance nature.
What exactly is defining you? How are you choosing to identify yourself? What I mean by this is, do you identify with your lack- lack of a husband/wife, lack of a child, lack of health- or do you identify with the REAL you- abundant, blessed, chosen, overflowing Child of God?
When you feel the sting of lack, let God’s love define you. Every bit of lack in our life is a learning opportunity and what we learn is our own wholeness in Christ. So when you are lacking in job fulfillment, learn how complete you are even without a great career. You can still live in purpose and power and deep satisfaction regardless of your professional role.
The realization of our wholeness regardless of our unmet dreams, desires or wants brings us closer to contentment. When you can view your life from the realization of your wholeness, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a spouse, a high paying job, a child or a six figure savings account. Why? Because you’re whole in Christ and if those wants are never met, fine. You’re content without them.
Jesus is our supply, our bread of life, our provider and he is always more than enough for us.
And the last thing we must understand is :
4. Understand that contentment requires trust.
We’re called to have faith that where God has us is where we need to be. The enemy will do everything he can to trick us into believing that we’re missing out just like he did in the Garden of Eden in Genesis.
Our desire to be somewhere else is not bad, as long as we pair it with a trust that where God has us is where we need to be. And where there is trust, there is no room for jealousy. The Creator of the universe has placed us where we are for a unique, divine purpose. When we allow ourselves to sink our teeth into this truth, we realize just how ridiculous we may be for envying someone else’s position.
Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-18 :
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!
If you and I were created to do the exact same thing, then one of us isn’t needed.
God has some amazing things in store for you and I; a divine purpose for each of us!
We must remember that contentment is an attitude that we learn, not something we can achieve. But as my Pastor likes to put it, “Our greatest achievement we can have in our lives, is living for God’s glory.” - Johnny Olivardia
My hope for you is that while journeying on this road of contentment, be the unrivaled expression of God’s glory that He designed you to be. Remember WHOSE you are and that God has you exactly WHERE you need to be right now.
Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.
Proverbs 16:9