Paul says to beware of “…greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5 NIV). Our dilemma isn’t simply that we want more; it’s that the condition that drives all of our desire is that deeply we want more of God. There is a hidden hunger in man for more at all times, more money, more comfort, more accolades etc. In this article we will be looking at different applications of contentment for a healthy spiritual journey and financial stability.
Contentment means less Expectations
Paul encourages us to limit our expectations to the fundamentals. (1) Timothy 6:8. “But as long as we have food and clothes, we shall be pleased. Paul wasn’t talking about fancy apparel; he was saying that we need to reduce our expectations in order to enjoy what God has given us, His stewards, as the fundamentals. This has been the major challenge of many people, Christians in particular. We must have the fundamental understanding that the Lord has our best interest at heart, we must carefully follow Him as He direct our steps into all that He has for us.
Contentment is the secret of inner peace
John Stott observed, “Contentment is the key of inner peace. It serves as a reminder of the harsh reality that we brought nothing into the world and cannot take anything away from it. Life, in reality, is a journey from one moment of nakedness to the next. So we should travel lightly and live simply. Our adversary is not things, but excess. Our fight cry is ‘Enough!’ not ‘Nothing!’ We’ve had enough. Simplicity states, “We will be satisfied with food and clothing.”
For Christians, contentment recognizes that having Jesus is sufficient makes us unhappy. Envy, greed, and unhappiness never made anybody happy. On the other side, contentment exists.
Contentment is been satisfied with Christ
“Keep your life free from the desire of money and be satisfied with what you have, since God has declared, “Never will I leave you; never will I abandon you.” (Hebrew 13:5) The assurance is I will never leave you nor forsake you, are you satisfied with that or you want more?
Contentment may offer delight regardless of how much we have, since it is founded on our connection with God! If our salaries do not seem adequate to meet our necessities, we may rely on God, who promised not to abandon us.
The true question is not whether our money is sufficient, but if God’s promises are enough for us. Did we ever discover that our financial wants and aspirations are really designed to lead us to God? Let us not pass up this chance.
Ahab and Jezebel let money reign and wreck their lives because they were fleeing from God! What if Ahab had admitted and dealt with his greed when he saw Naboth’s vineyard? What a different narrative this would have been! We will never be happy unless we are satisfied with Christ.