Living a Life of True Contentment

What is at the root of the problem for those who say it is never enough is lack of contentment.  Webster's defines contented as: feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation.  How many people do you know who can say they are satisfied with what they have in America?  Are you satisfied with what you have?  Or is it rather, just not "enough" yet?

Some verses of note from the Bible:


Luke 3:14  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Phil. 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

1Tim. 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


Notice, we are given examples to be content with our wages, learn to be content in every state of life, be content with our needs being met and let our life be without covetousness - this spirit of never enough - and be content with what we have!  Satan wants you to get on the treadmill of never enough and it isn't just because he wants to bankrupt you financially but he also wants you to to go hell.  Covetousness is a sin and you won't enter heaven (1Cor. 6:10), so we should be very aware of this spirit that is destroying many Americans like a cancer.

Matthew Henry really won the commentary for 1 Tim. 6:8:


Food and a covering, including habitation as well as raiment. Observe, If God give us the necessary supports of life, we ought to be content therewith, though we have not the ornaments and delights of it. If nature should be content with a little, grace should be content with less; though we have not dainty food, though we have not costly raiment, if we have but food and raiment convenient for us we ought to be content. This was Agur's prayer: Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me, Pro_30:8. Here we see, [1.] The folly of placing our happiness in these things, when we did not bring any thing into this world with us, and we can carry nothing out. What will worldlings do when death shall strip them of their happiness and portion, and they must take an everlasting farewell of all these things, on which they have so much doted? They may say with poor Micah, You have taken away my gods; and what have I more? Jdg_18:24. [2.] The necessaries of life are the hounds of a true Christian's desire, and with these he will endeavour to be content; his desires are not insatiable; no, a little, a few comforts of this life, will serve him, and these may hope to enjoy: Having food and raiment.


Let's also review the very next 2 verses:


1Tim. 6:9-10  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


Henry goes on to say it so well:


Those that will be rich (that set their hearts upon the wealth of this world, and are resolved right or wrong, they will have it), fall into temptation and a snare, 1Ti_6:9. It is not said, those that are rich, but those that will be rich, that is, that place their happiness in worldly wealth, that covet it inordinately, and are eager and violent in the pursuit of it. Those that are such fall into temptation and a snare, unavoidably; for, when the devil sees which way their lusts carry them, he will soon bait his hook accordingly. He knew how fond Achan would be of a wedge of gold, and therefore laid that before him. They fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts.


Note those Christians who covet after money, who run to get rich, whose life is all about making a buck - these same people have erred from the faith.  God promising us a mansion in heaven isn't enough!?  You are going to trade THAT for a mansion down here!?  No thank you, I'll take God's mansion and enjoy a comfortable life of contentment down here keeping my heart from the sin of covetousness that causes so much sorrow.  Our hearts should be turned toward those in need - the poor, the orphans, the widows - not how big of a house we can get!

Live a life of true contentment - and that true contentment comes from obeying God's Word!  And God's Word says not to covet; not to have the spirit of never enough envelop your life.  Start by thanking God for the roof over your head, food on the table (even the table!), clothes to wear and then realize just how blessed you are to even have those basic needs.  Next, thank him for the luxuries of American life: running water, electricity, a mattress, a vehicle, land, furniture, AC, heat, etc.  

Why are you complaining when you live in the richest country in the world and have all these things?  Maybe it would do you good to visit those in the world that live in a hut with dirt floors and don't even have a table or a mattress to sleep on and have to walk every day to even get water.  America needs a good wake up call and our standard of living needs a reality check as too many are filling social media with complaints of how it's never enough.  Don't let that be you because I believe it will not go without a lesson from God Himself to set you right in hopes to keep you from hell.  Wake up and realize just what you have and keep it ever before you to keep yourself from this spirit that is destroying so many around us.