You can access the podcast, Asking is Loving, version of this post by clicking on the show graphic below:
To say that the weekly 6:00 a.m. conversation and prayer time with my friend, Suzanne, is fuel for my blog and podcast would be an understatement.
That weekly time holds me to considering my past week and what lies ahead. It keeps me holding my life up, like a prism, to the light of Christ and analyzing it. God uses it to help me see what He’s doing in my life and what He’s doing in my life impacts what I share here.
I originally posted this series on contentment a few years ago after Suzanne and I had discussed having joy and faith in the midst of uncertainty and fear, but I’m revisiting it. I still struggle with being content in the same areas of life I was struggling with then.
Here are some of the things I grapple with in the area of contentment:
I want to know the outcome of parenting decisions NOW. Instead of being anxious and discontent about the future, can I rest in God’s care and sovereignty?
I want to put myself out there in writing, ministry, and business, but sometimes the vulnerability of it can be painful. I want to know NOW that it will be OK. Can I keep going, knowing that I might be rejected; content with who I am and with what I have in Christ?
I want to hope and even work toward the future, but I don’t want to be disappointed. What if I’m wrong or disappointed? Will I be content with whatever the outcome is?
I want to plan for my day but be flexible enough to still love my people well. Will I contentedly accept God’s will for the day and not become frustrated or irritated when I don’t accomplish all that I had in mind?
Suzanne and I considered the question: “What was Paul’s secret to contentment?”
“…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
What is contentment?
It’s being happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different; satisfied.
Are we destined to always be stuck on this path between where we are and where we want to be?
And are we to even hope for more or different?
Is contentment really a secret we must figure out?
My first thoughts as Suzanne and I wondered about Paul’s contentment were that trials teach us contentment. Paul must have learned contentment through trials. That seemed to fit with my own experience, too. It seemed that as I experienced life and its ups and downs, I’d grown in contentment. But is it deeper than that? I mean, is that really what we as Christians should expect in regards to growing in godly contentment? That as we experience hardships, we’ll get more able to accept life as it is?
I got to thinking, there was more to it than that. That there must be more of a spiritual component to this than just bowing our heads and accepting life.
If we are in Christ and have His Spirit dwelling in us, can’t we hope for more than this?
This quote from Charles Spurgeon makes our struggle with contentment seem normal and inevitable:
“When men have too much of God’s mercies —strange that we should have to say this, and yet it is a great fact — when men have much of God’s providential mercies, it often happens that they have but little of God’s grace, and little gratitude for the bounties they have received. They are full, and they forget God; satisfied with earth, they are content to do without heaven. Rest assured, my dear hearers, it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry. To know how to be hungry is a sharp lesson, but to know how to be full is the harder lesson after all. So desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of God!”
Charles Spurgeon
While discontentment is inevitable for us as humans, I would say it is possible, through the enabling work of grace through Christ, to be changed into people who are content with Him and with all His spiritual blessings. We will stumble, but we always have hope for growth, peace, and rest from striving to know, be, do, and have more.
We have all that we need for life and godliness.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3
What do you think? Is contentedness more than just learning to accept life? Is there anything wrong with hoping and dreaming about our future? What do you think is Paul’s “secret” to contentment?
I’m asking this question and exploring it on the blog and podcast over the next month:
“Am I Content with My Level of Contentment?”
Will you join me?
Would you like to experience my weekly questions audibly? You can now do that through my new podcast, Asking is Loving! Would you please check it out, rate it, and subscribe? Thank you so much!
Are you signed up for my monthly e-mail, “Encouragements to Turn Toward Grace”? When you sign up, you will receive a free digital booklet I created called: Asking is Loving, Powerful Questions to Ask Yourself & Your Loved Ones. It’s full of great coaching questions divided into chapters focused on questions for yourself, your spouse, your children, and your friends. You’ll also receive a free scripture printable of Proverbs 4: 23 and a free printable of the Ten Daily Biblical Truths that I use regularly.
I’m linking up this week with these awesome bloggers:
Your title alone makes me think 🤔
It’s an important question that I don’t consider often enough. 🙂
I don’t really know what to say on your blog. It’s a good one. Contentment is something that we can learn a bit, by praying through the seasons of life we are in. For me it is important to keep looking to Jesus. Our time is so fleeting that we sometimes even glance up at Jesus to pick up our iPhones right away. That’s me and I hate that so much.
My husband was reading from a book he is reading about the Psalms. It says: “Always do this. Always put Him before your eyes. When you get up in the morning, say, How wonderful, another day that I may walk with God! With Christ! Oh, if only we could begin our days like this. That is the life of a Christian.” (Martyn Lloyd Jones)
So, thanks for writing about this, Amy. You see, I struggle with it.
Aritha-I think we all do struggle with this and you’re right–fixing our eyes on Jesus is the best thing to do. It’s also the biblical thing to do!
Such a wonderful & thought provoking message Amy! 🤔
Blessings, Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer. Great to have you visit…
Amy, this is very thought provoking. I think often about contentment. Trials in life have most likely developed contentment in my life. They made me realize God is intricately involved in all He brings into my life, and all He withholds. I find myself praying for the Lord to help me to be content with where I am today. And of course, this means, I must pray this every day 🙂 I am looking forward to this series!
I’m thinking that contentment is a very complex topic! Praise God that He has worked so much in your heart about it already. I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the next month or so!
Such a challenging concept.
I’m so thankful that the fruit of the Spirit includes patience and peace even as we are challenged in being content.
Such a great question! I often am NOT content with my level of contentment. I want to be more content; there is such peace and trust in it. Thanks for asking this. I’ll be thinking about it more….
I’m thankful Jesus is patient with us about this, Lisa.
What a great question! I need to consider it while I consider my plans for the future. I’m feeling a nudge towards change, but I don’t know what that change will look like.
I pray you be encouraged to trust God in any change that lies ahead!
Amy, what a thought-provoking post! I struggle between the balance of wanting all that God has for me and being content with where I am right now. Not complacent. Content. You’ve given me a to to consider!
Jeanne-I expanded the content and encouragement quite a bit in my podcast if you can squeeze in the listen! Just 20 minutes! Blessings to you as you move toward contentment!
A thought-provoking post! “Instead of being anxious and discontent about the future, can I rest in God’s care and sovereignty?” I can relate to this so much. I enjoyed your post, it’s got me pondering.
Wemi-thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you can relate and I pray that you grow in resting in God’s care as I seek to do the the same.
A good question. I find ups and downs in my contentment. It is good to pause and consider– the quote from Charles Spurgeon is helpful to spur greater thankfulness which leads to contentment.
I agree–Spurgeon quotes often do that for me! Thanks for visiting, Carol!