Content in Christ

Our spiritual union with Christ is the source of our strength and the secret of being content. Paul was content in all circumstances because he was content (satisfied) in the sufficiency of Christ. Christ alone was enough for him. Paul was content through all his afflictions for professing Christ, for preaching His Gospel, for praising His Name, and for His glory. Christ is the key/the reason. It is in Christ alone where we find grace, mercy, peace, joy, hope, comfort, wisdom, strength, redemption, forgiveness, righteousness, sanctification, and all that satisfy our soul needs. We can truly be content when we realize that we are complete in Christ. No one else and nothing else will ever make us complete. When all we have is Christ, we have all we need. Rest in Him and be content. Discontent (opposite of contentment) is dangerous. A discontented heart/mind is susceptible to envy, greed, worry, temptations, etc. It's our human tendency to be discontent, to get bored easily, to desire more (of the things of this world), to have self-pity, to compare with others, to complain, to covet, and to be ungrateful. With Christ's strength, we can overcome the human tendency (aka our sinful nature). "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, Who is the Head over every power and authority." (Colossians 2:9-10)

All experiences and situations that come our way are opportunities for Christ's love, grace, power, and strength to be made more evident in our lives. They are lessons that help us learn and grow in faith, Christlikeness, and contentment in Christ. Contentment did not come naturally to Paul or was given as a gift at his conversion (he had to learn to be content). It had taken him years to learn this (he was an old man when he wrote the book of Philippians). Paul finally learned to draw all he needed, in whatever situation, from Jesus who dwelled within him. As a result, he experienced contentment, peace, and joy, no matter what the world or the enemy threw at him. When we combine our gratitude for who God is and what He has done for us with an acceptance of His will for our lives, we will find contentment. Let us count our blessings and remember how He has been faithful to supply all our needs. We may lack certain things (ease, outward comforts, and worldly conveniences) that others have, but if we have a contented heart, we definitely have more than most people have. 

"To live on Christ, 
to draw all from Christ, 
to do all in the strength of Christ, 
to be ever looking to Christ--
this is the true secret of spiritual prosperity!" (J.C. Ryle)

"It is from the state of our minds that contentment arises--and not from the amount of our possessions." (John MacDuff)  Contentment is a matter of mental and spiritual attitude. We learned from Philippians 4:8 that we must choose wisely what we fill our mind with because our thoughts affect who we are. Our thoughts affect whether we will be content or not. Take time to answer the following questions. In your mind, do you believe God is in control? Are you convinced that Christ alone is enough, not Christ with family, not Christ with good health, not Christ with comfortable home, not even Christ with fruitful ministry, but Christ alone? Do you believe God is too wise to err and too good to be unkind? Are you pleased with what God does? Would you be content if God's only gift to you were His grace to save you, forgive you, and give you eternal life? Would you be content with just that and nothing else? Remember God owes you and me nothing; we deserve nothing but His wrath and eternal condemnation. It's God's grace and mercy that we're out of Hell!

“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.” (Jeremiah Burroughs) 

P.S. Do not confuse contentment with complacency! Contentment is rooted in Christ, faith, humility, and gratitude. Complacency is rooted in self, pride, arrogance, and laziness. For example, we must never be complacent with our spiritual growth.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me, sanctifying me, sustaining me, guiding me, giving me grace, and providing everything I need! You are all I ever need. Because of You in me, my soul is fully satisfied, full of life, light, love, peace, and joy. Thank You for giving me eternal life and abundant life! Please empower me to always be thankful, joyful, and content, regardless of my circumstances. Please grant me grace to live above the perishable things of this fleeting world. Please help me to walk in godliness and rely on You in every situation, knowing that Your grace is always sufficient for me. May I glorify You in all I think, say, and do!

"But Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6) 

"Happy is the person who has learned the secret of being content with whatever life brings him, and has learned to rejoice in the simple and beautiful things around him." (Billy Graham)

"Contentment is the crown-jewel of a happy life!" (Charles Spurgeon) 

"Contentment with your lot, and confidence in God--will make life peaceful and happy!...It is not what a man has, but what a man is--which will decide his bliss or woe in both this life and the next." (Charles Spurgeon) 

"Be thou content to leave thy prayer in His hands, Who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold." (Charles Spurgeon)

"Good when He gives, supremely good, 
Nor less when He denies! 
Even crosses from His sovereign hand 
Are blessings in disguise!" (Unknown)  

"Nothing is lovelier in life, than the spirit of contentment. Fretting mars the beauty of many a face. Discontent spoils all one's world. Out of whatever window he looks--the discontented person sees something that is not pleasing. But a contented person sees only good everywhere. The happiest homes in the world are not those in which are the finest carpets, the costliest pictures, the most luxurious furniture--but those in which contented, joyful hearts dwell. A mind at peace, beautifies the plainest surroundings and even the hardest conditions." (J.R. Miller)

"Contentment sweetens every condition.
Contentment teaches a man how to abound--in the midst of poverty!
Have I but little? Yet it is more than I deserve.
Do I meet with some crosses? My comfort is, if they are heavy--I have not far to go!
My cross is light--in comparison with the weight of glory.
Has God taken away my comforts from me? It is well--the Comforter still abides with me.
Thus contentment, as a honeycomb, drops sweetness into every condition.
Discontent is a leaven which sours every comfort; it puts vinegar into ever mercy; it doubles every cross." (Thomas Watson)