I assert that contentment has been perhaps the most pursued objective of those who may not have the slightest clue about what it is. So many are looking for contentment and struggling to find or even define it.
What is contentment? Here’s a little Christmas gift to you from me. The best source I can find on the subject, other than the Biblical texts, is a book by Richard Swenson (of Margin fame) entitled, Contentment: The Secret to a Lasting Calm (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2013). You need to read the entire book. As I read it, I was struck by his presentation of contentment in contrast with joy, satisfaction, and happiness.
As I describe it, in the iPad of life, if joy, satisfaction and happiness are the “apps” of our world, then contentment is our operating system. Joy and happiness are surface emotions. Contentment is more of an underlying, deeper character quality. Joy and happiness get all of the media attention these days. You have but to reference the nearest television commercial to understand that contentment isn’t exactly what the world is offering to you. Happiness garners the bright lights. Contentment? Not so much.
But, Paul says it clearly in Philippians 4:12. “I have learned the secret of being content . . . .” In our current culture, it seems contentment remains a secret.
How do we define contentment? Swenson explains, “Godliness is an attitude whereby what we want is to please God. Contentment is accepting from God the circumstances in which He has placed us, because we know that His presence, provision, and providence are far greater than . . .” anything we are or have or will experience (Swenson, p.106). In this way, “Godliness plus contentment equals great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
So, we can define contentment as accepting from God the circumstances in which He has placed us. In fact, we can rest in this assurance. God tells us to “. . . be content . . . , because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). As Swenson concludes, that’s a pretty good deal, don’t you think?
Being content does not mean that we never experience righteous discontent from time to time. Jesus, the man who embodied contentment, overturned the money changers’ tables in the temple. But His was also the voice that quieted the tempest. Being content doesn’t mean we have to be passively satisfied with what we see in the world. As Swenson puts it, “Contentment means we work hard on this broken world, but always with a yielding to God in our hearts, a glad submission to His will, and a quiet confidence that as we do our part, God will do His part” (Swenson, p 22).
At Christmas, you’re likely finding secret places to hide those special gifts for the ones who live with you. Yet, the best kept secret, contentment, is the one God wanted you to open months or years ago. Do it now. Yield to God in your heart, gladly submit to His will, and experience the quiet confidence of contentment. It’s the best secret of all.