Are you struggling to be content despite your current situation? Are you desperate for your situation to change? Are you anxious for peace in the midst of turmoil? The Bible tells us that we can learn to be content no matter what happens in our lives. There is a way! Learn how practicing spiritual contentment can change the way you view your circumstances.
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT?
We first need to understand what it means to be content before we take a deeper look at spiritual contentment.
The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines being content as:
Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.
We might describe a contented person as someone who:
- is satisfied with her situation, status, or possessions
- does not want any more or any less than she has
- feels pleased or happy with her current circumstances
Spiritual contentment goes a bit deeper, according to the Bible Dictionary:
To be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one’s own. The Hebrew means simply “to be pleased.” The Greek brings out the full force of the word in 1 Timothy 6:8; Hebrews 13:5. Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6) is more inward than satisfaction; the former is a habit or permanent state of mind, the latter has to do with some particular occurrence or object.
To be spiritually content is to trust that God knows what is best for us because He loves us and promises to work all things for our good and His glory.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 (NLT)
SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT IS NOT COMPLACENCY
It is also essential to recognize that spiritual contentment is not complacency.
Contentment wisely accepts the reality of situations you cannot change without complaint or resentment.
Complacency smugly refuses to accept responsibility for things you have some control over.
A content person says: I will accept what God has given me and make the most of it.
Circumstances do not control you or steal your joy.
A complacent person cries: This is good enough because I cannot do anything to make it better.
Circumstances rule your life and keep you from moving forward.
WHY DO WE STRUGGLE WITH BEING CONTENT?
To discover the secret of spiritual contentment, we first need to uncover the roots of our discontentment.
Honest confession: I struggle with being content.
Oh, you do too? 😉
So thankful that I am not alone!
For me, the root of my discontentment is comparison. I compare myself to others and their situations and compare myself to expectations of what life should look like. Does that make sense?
Often, it is the “what if” or “if only” lies that lead to our struggle with contentment:
- What if I was given that promotion or opportunity?
- If only I had their connections and resources.
- What if I met someone special and had a family?
- If only God would send me the perfect person.
- What if I had more money, time, energy, and freedom?
- If only life would just give me a break.
- What if I lived in a different place, a nicer place, a bigger place?
- If only God would provide for and bless me like He blesses others.
- What if I was physically strong, healthy, and beautiful?
- If only I had good genes.
Asking ourselves these questions and declaring our dissatisfaction with the way things are in our lives only breeds frustration, jealousy, envy, insecurity, and self-pity. These are all directly opposed to spiritual contentment!
To eradicate this kind of discontent, we must address three pervasive roots:
WRONG FOCUS
When we focus on others, we lose both perspective and contentment. Instead of looking at our circumstances in the light of God’s will and fixing our focus on our eternal hope in Jesus, we fall into the comparison trap. And comparison steals our joy and our contentment. Taking the focus off ourselves and our situation frees us from worrying about what we have or don’t have compared to others.
WORTHLESS FACTS
We waste our time worrying about worthless facts (probably mostly fiction anyway!) instead of claiming God’s promises and rejoicing in His provision. Social media is notorious for promoting this kind of discontentment. If looking at the feeds, photos, friends, and families of others only serves to intensify your feelings of doubt, insufficiency, and envy, take a break! Limit the time you spend scrolling, remembering that no one shows the difficult, messy, and complicated parts of life.
Don’t compare your behind-the-scenes messes with everyone else’s beautifully curated highlight reels.
WEAK FAITH
When we choose to be discontent about anything: our abilities, our homes, our looks, our families, our financial situations, our relationships, our marriages, our problems, our children, or our seasons in life (among so many other things!), we are acknowledging our lack of faith in who God is and what His Word promises. We are telling God that what He has given us is not enough and that we do not trust Him to provide everything we need. And the Bible definitely has something to say about this kind of weak faith.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT?
When seeking spiritual contentment, the Bible gives sound advice and wise counsel.
SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT BEGINS WITH TRUSTING GOD
Much of the struggle we have with being discontent stems from our lack of trust in God’s provision. We look at what others have and are anxious and worried, and we wonder if God knows our situation and will meet our needs. The Bible reminds us that if God takes care of flowers of the field and birds of the air, He will surely take care of us! We are free to be content with where we are and what we have, knowing that God always provides for those who seek His kingdom first.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)
SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT CAN NOT BE FOUND IN MATERIAL POSSESSIONS
We will fail when we try to find contentment apart from our relationship with God. Godliness and contentment go hand in hand, for when we recognize that we brought nothing into this world and can take nothing with us, material things lose their power over us. We can enjoy the food, clothes, homes, and cars that God provides without using them to fill the void in our souls. Money is not inherently evil; when we believe that money will satisfy our deepest longings, we stray from our faith and become discontent.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.“
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT CAN BE FOUND EVEN IN SUFFERING
Yes, you are reading that correctly! The Bible tells us that spiritual contentment and suffering are not mutually exclusive; they can and do coexist. Paul says that he can be content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. How? We may understand enduring suffering but being content with it? The scriptures answer this question: so that the power of Christ may rest on us. When we acknowledge that we are weak, we can be content in Christ’s strength.
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)
THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT
Do you know that there is a secret to spiritual contentment? A way to be content no matter your circumstances?
At the end of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul gives us his prescription for spiritual contentment. It is critical to read his instructions within context (Philippians Chapter 4) because he explains his process. We will start at the end of the chapter and work backward.
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)
Paul concludes his letter by saying that he has learned to be content in any situation. This passage of scripture is probably familiar to many, especially the final verse. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” is not a prayer for success or overcoming obstacles. It is a prayer for spiritual contentment.
So, how did Paul learn this secret of contentment? Let’s take a look at the previous verses:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4: 4-9 (ESV)
This passage is rich and full, but we need to pull out Paul’s specific steps to embracing spiritual contentment.
- Rejoice always.
- Do not be anxious.
- Ask God for what you need.
- Think about what is true, just, and lovely.
- Put all of these things into practice.
It looks so simple when we break it down like this, doesn’t it? It is easy to overcomplicate the process, but Paul is specific and clear. And each one of these directives correlates to our issues with discontentment.
When we are tempted to compare ourselves with others, Paul’s answer is to rejoice and be thankful for what God has already given us.
When we begin to worry about what we lack, Paul tells us to avoid anxiety by asking God for what we need.
When we allow thoughts of insecurity, envy, and self-pity to overtake our minds, Paul reminds us to think about the right things.
LET’S PRACTICE SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT TOGETHER
Although we can learn to be content in all situations, it is an ongoing process that we must work on daily. That is why Paul encourages us to “practice all of these things” (Philippians 4:9).
I don’t know about you, but I need encouragement and support as I try to embrace spiritual contentment! And that is why I invite you to join me on the journey here AT THE CROSSROADS! Practicing what we preach is not always easy and takes consistent practice, so I invite you to use this as a space to ask questions, seek godly counsel, and share your struggles.
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My heart is to help as many people connect faith and life in practical, purposeful, and powerful ways. And I would love to have you along for the journey!
Wow wow this come at the right time in my life, it became a mirror for me tp see that my worrying was because of discontentment….what helps my prayer life, is reading the word then partake to the Lord’s super and Affirmations.
So thankful that God used this post to speak to you! Yes, I find that when I stay connected to God through prayer, worship, and reading His Word it is much easier to practice spiritual contentment.
Thank you so much for your encouragement. At a major crossroads in my life. Pray for me.
Thanks for reaching out, Mary! I will be praying that God gives you peace and direction.
Good words of encouragement. It is a good reminder to kind of let go of things and circumstances and learn to rest in Him. Daddy (Abba) God has “got our back”, so to speak.
Thank you, Deborah. And yes, He definitely does have our back!! So grateful for that truth.
This was deep…, and eye opening, and the beginning of my journey towards “learning the secret of being content in every situation” Phil 4:12. Thank you. God bless you indeed.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words! I pray God continues to guide and lead you toward a life of contentment!