DAILY CONTENTMENT
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. Philippians 4:12 (NIV)
The natural default setting of the heart is discontentment. A couple of years ago, I realized I was teaching something that wasn’t true. For years, I thought I was supposed to be content in the Lord. Recently, I realized that the Bible only speaks about discontentment when it talks about the circumstances. Notice that Paul was content in his circumstances but desperate for the Lord (Philippians 3:8). We are not supposed to be content for the Lord; we are supposed to seek Him. We are supposed to hunger and thirst for Him. When this happens, we learn, like Paul, to be content in our circumstances. Content with our jobs, content with our bodies, content with money, content with circumstances. This doesn’t mean you won’t have goals, but it means your identity isn’t wrapped up in these things.
I recently met with someone who had so much pressure to succeed in their job. The fear of failure was crushing for them. They were desperate in their circumstances. As I met with them, I asked them how their relationship with God was going. They shared they’d put it on the back burner. The way to deal with worldly discontentment is to become desperate for the Lord. Said another way, when you become desperate for the Lord, you will become content with your circumstances because things are put in proper perspective.
I’ve learned you can't be passionate for the Lord and your circumstances long term. One will win out. The human heart only has the capacity to crown one thing king of your life. That’s why people drift away from God if they aren’t intentional to seek Him. Slowly, they become more desperate for something or someone else, and God moves to the back burner. May you choose only to crown Jesus, and may He be the center of your life, now and forever. You won’t follow perfectly, but commit to being desperate for Him. Then, you will find the secret of joy and contentment in this life.
APPLICATION: When things compete for your attention today, remind yourself that Jesus is better.
PRAYER: Ask the Spirit of God to show you anything that is before God in your heart. Don’t be defensive. Just sit and think about what you spend most of your energy and effort on. Think about what occupies most of your thoughts. Think about what you fear. Then repent of putting those things before Him and ask Him to help you live for Him.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?