Contentment Cont...

As we previously discussed, true contentment is only truly found in complete reliance on God, which can only be achieved through the pursuit of righteousness and godliness. Admittedly, this statement could sound quite cliché or abstract. A friend of mine - wassup Doc - posed a few questions that I believe would be beneficial to share here. I hope that walking through these questions will trigger deeper thought and dialogue. So, let's dive in.

1. Is contentment a journey or a process?

Let us start with some definitions:

Journey: An act of travelling from one place to another, especially when they are far apart. A long and often difficult process of personal change and development. (Oxford Learners Dictionary)

Process: A series of things that are done in order to achieve a particular result.

A journey can be long or short, but always has a start and finish.

As discussed, true contentment is found in full reliance on God for all things. Thus the journey is moving from reliance on anything/anyone other than God, to full reliance on God. This being a journey, we find that we rely on God in some areas of life, and on ourselves in others. Proverbs 3:5-5 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Our journey is to commit not only who we are - our heart - but also what we do - our ways - to the Lord. Contentment then comes when He directs our every path.

The process we follow to full reliance on God is:

• Read your Bible; Psalms 119:11 - "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

• Pray everyday; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing"

• Repent; Acts 2:38 - "Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (God with us)."

• Fellowship; Hebrews 10:24–25 - "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

The process of going about your journey could take multiple forms

Having said all this, Doc had a follow up question. "Will I ever get there or is it one of those virtues you kind of work through all of life, getting it and sometimes not?" Given the definition above, the reality is that we will never get to true contentment on our own. Indeed, I believe we will never attain true contentment while on this earth. Understanding that, and not letting it bother us, is part of the process along the journey. This could, and is, a burden to many. Reading your bible would teach you to "... humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us in due time, casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7."

We do achieve milestones of contentment along the journey. But understanding that it is a journey keeps us focused on the destination. The processes we use along the journey will change depending on our station, but dwelling in the presence of our God remains the ultimate destination.

2. How do you factor in the desires and wants that are natural to every human journey?

The bible has told us to ask and we shall receive. To be persistent and have faith as we ask. How do we maintain that posture of contentment in the asking, the waiting, the disappointments?

Indeed, the psalmist said in Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." We all have examples of times we have made our righteous petitions to God. And many have examples of when these petitions were not granted. Does this mean that the Bible, or God, is unjust or unfair? Why do so many people who are evidently active Christians still suffer - poverty, illness, percussion? Obviously, the desires of their hearts are for providence, good health, long life, and security. Why then aren't those requests granted? These "Christians" must obviously not be delighting themselves in the Lord sufficiently, right??

Many a bible teacher have taught a different interpretation of that verse, one that I agree with.

Delighting in the Lord is not about singing songs and being happy. It is about building a relationship with God where we seek to know God and we immerse ourselves in the word of God and hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against Him. It is about us going through the processes that help us along the journey to contentment. The outcome of this is that God then crafts and molds our hearts and minds, conforming them to His. We are renewed, regenerated, transformed daily into the likeness of God. As such, our desires then come from God. The New King James bible translation, and other older translations, use the word "Give" not "Grant". This means that whatever our hearts desires are, they come from God. Those desires will indeed be granted.

Where does contentment come in then? Delighting in the Lord is a process of contentment. We are called to delight in the lord in and through all situations, good and bad. We generally vary our relationship with God depending on the magnitude of our needs/requests. We tend to pray and fast more when we have big requests. A quick prayer while in traffic or in the shower tends to suffice for small needs like good weather. The bible tells us to rejoice ALWAYS, pray WITHOUT ceasing, meditate on the word DAY and NIGHT/. That should be our constant posture. The bible then tells us that God then quickens us to what we are to request for. If we abide by this, then we will understand that even the unmet requests are for our good, and therefore, not a disappointment.

3. How do I know God's will at that point so that I can be content with that?

Are there times I should be discontent because the situation isn't God's will for my life.

Can God use discontent to get me out of a situation that is not his will for me? Say a job to another?

This question brings about a couple of problems to address:

• How do we know God's will?

• What is the basis of discontent?

Contentment is a result of knowing God. There are many examples in the bible of individuals who found themselves in difficult situations, where they sought God's will. Below are a few significant ones:

1. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. He was in an impossible situation for any man, yet there is no record of him questioning that it was God's will that he sacrifice Isaac. There are, however, many records of Abraham conversing with God.

2. David found himself in a position to kill King Saul on two separate occasions. This was a man who was out to destroy him and the nation of Israel. David had already been anointed by Samuel as the next King of Israel. For all intents and purposes, he could be justified if he killed Saul. But he didn't and his response was that he could not touch the Lord's anointed. It was God's will that Saul was in power, and David knew and understood this. We are also told that from a young age, David was a man after God's own heart.

3. Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane just before His arrest, prayed "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Jesus had on multiple previous occasions stated that He would die. He knew God's will for Him. It was still a sorrowful burden to Him. Jesus was and is God, yet at that particular moment, His will was that the cup of "death" pass from Him. This is the ultimate show that there will be times when our will will not align with God's will, irrespective of how closely we walk with God. Jesus showed total surrender to, reliance on God, even unto death.

These examples not only show contentment in action, but also answer the question of how to know God's will. To know God's will, we need to know God. Jesus is God and therefore knew God completely. God Himself referred to Abraham as His friend (Isaiah 41:8). David, in his youth, was called a man after God's own heart. In difficult situations when we seek to know God's will for us, these examples tell us to seek God. May we change our postures, attitudes, and prayers from asking God to reveal His will. May we seek to know God, and petition Him to reveal more of Himself to us.

Therefore, our discontent should be that we do not know God. Contentment is not about our earthly positions. Joseph and Daniel excelled in service in kingdoms that are renowned for their wickedness. Hosea was married, and remained faithful, to a promiscuous woman. Nehemiah and Ezra were prominent in the Persian kingdom, one that was tolerant to idolatry.

While it is human nature to seek to avoid what we perceive to be against God will, the bible clearly teaches us that we cannot escape the world. Jesus prayed "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."

Whatever situation we find ourselves in is one that is known to God. God places us in those situations, or allows us to get into different situations for our good. Our good, as Jesus alluded to, is to be sanctified by the truth. But what is the truth, you might ask. Jesus said ... “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). So we are to be sanctified by Jesus Himself. Sanctification is the process by which we are made holy, the same process that brings us to contentment in God. And this process, according to Jesus, is through the word He has given us. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1; 14).

Phew!!!

Yes, this is a tough teaching. And probably didn't give you the answers you sought. By all human understanding, its nonsense. But, human understanding has not given us lasting answers or solutions to contentment. Jesus told us "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Mankind places their contentment in attaining 'all these things'. Jesus tells us how.

Be blessed!