1 Timothy 6:6
What brings you contentment? There are lots of “things” in life that do so. The older I get I think contentment becomes a bit easier. When I was young, there was a drive for materialism. I graduated high school and college in the 80s. The 80s introduced us to MTV and 24-hour music videos. The 80s brought changes economically and socially. Perhaps what the 80s are most known for (besides big hair, shoulder pads, and pastel clothes) were consumerism and materialism. I was bombarded with all the things that would bring me contentment in life. Well-paying jobs, which meant higher lifestyles, meaning more things. I happily pursued those things that would bring contentment…worldly or material contentment. But for me, more importantly, the late also 80s introduced me to a new source of contentment, Jesus. When I met my wife Jennifer in the fall of 1986, I was a much different person than I was to become just a few months later. Jennifer poured into me what it meant to truly be a Christian. I was a “Chreaster.” Meaning I generally only went to church on Christmas and Easter. Out of tradition more than anything else. But when I saw the reality and centrality of Christ in her life, there was a contentment there that was counter to the culture of that decade. After I accepted Christ, my priorities changed. Sure, I still sought to be successful, but the definition of success was radically changed. True contentment comes when Christ is central to everything. Relationships, career, leisure, pleasure, health, and material things. And these are all things that still exist in our lives even after we accept Christ into our lives. What’s different is the way we look at those things and the priority that they hold in our lives. When Christ is the true source of contentment, we find contentment in things that the non-believer would scratch their head and go “Huh?” During every weekly staff meeting, we recite our core values. One of those values is the primacy of God, then family, and then ministry. When we keep those priorities in check, and our lives reflect that godliness, true contentment is then possible. It’s a daily challenge, and if we let ourselves slack, even just a little, that true contentment will be replaced with selfish gain. But “true godliness with contentment is great gain.”
What brings you contentment? There are lots of “things” in life that do so. The older I get I think contentment becomes a bit easier. When I was young, there was a drive for materialism. I graduated high school and college in the 80s. The 80s introduced us to MTV and 24-hour music videos. The 80s brought changes economically and socially. Perhaps what the 80s are most known for (besides big hair, shoulder pads, and pastel clothes) were consumerism and materialism. I was bombarded with all the things that would bring me contentment in life. Well-paying jobs, which meant higher lifestyles, meaning more things. I happily pursued those things that would bring contentment…worldly or material contentment. But for me, more importantly, the late also 80s introduced me to a new source of contentment, Jesus. When I met my wife Jennifer in the fall of 1986, I was a much different person than I was to become just a few months later. Jennifer poured into me what it meant to truly be a Christian. I was a “Chreaster.” Meaning I generally only went to church on Christmas and Easter. Out of tradition more than anything else. But when I saw the reality and centrality of Christ in her life, there was a contentment there that was counter to the culture of that decade. After I accepted Christ, my priorities changed. Sure, I still sought to be successful, but the definition of success was radically changed. True contentment comes when Christ is central to everything. Relationships, career, leisure, pleasure, health, and material things. And these are all things that still exist in our lives even after we accept Christ into our lives. What’s different is the way we look at those things and the priority that they hold in our lives. When Christ is the true source of contentment, we find contentment in things that the non-believer would scratch their head and go “Huh?” During every weekly staff meeting, we recite our core values. One of those values is the primacy of God, then family, and then ministry. When we keep those priorities in check, and our lives reflect that godliness, true contentment is then possible. It’s a daily challenge, and if we let ourselves slack, even just a little, that true contentment will be replaced with selfish gain. But “true godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Posted in Devotional