“Contentment”

 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, withinsults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.– 2 Corinthians 12:10
Content [kuhn-tent]- “satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.”
Contentment… Have you ever been around someone that just seems to exude a contented peace no matter what the situation or circumstance? Someone who always has a calm demeanor, a quiet joy, and a sweet disposition regardless of hardship, pain, or trial? If you’re like me, when you get around those people the first feeling is one of shame that my life falls so short of that ideal! Then, however, truth be told, to be around that person is infectious; it is calming and comforting just to be with them.
The temptation is to think that God just “hard-wired” them that way. God just gave them a supernatural “contentment gene” that makes it easy for them, a natural reaction because of how He made them. (If that were so it lets me off the hook you see, because obviously, God left that one out in my DNA!) BUT, here’s the truth, it isn’t “natural” for anyone. It is learned. Paul says in Philippians 4:11 – “Not that I speak from want, for I have learnedto be content in whatever circumstances I am.”
There it is, learned behavior. To have contentment comes from needing to “learn” contentment. “Practice” if you will. Trusting God in every circumstance, being in tune with Him, in communication with Him, resting IN Him.
The world scoffs at that concept. Our culture is programmed to drive us away from “contentment”. We need to have more. We need to earn more. We aren’t treated fairly. I’m a victim. And on and on…. Chuck Swindoll wrote the following: “To learn and implement contentment, you’ll have to fight the popular, demanding urge to conform.”
Try to not conform today, but rather be transformed by God’s grace, and chose contentment. You’ll be glad you did!
In HIS Love,
Pastor Ben