Wisdom for Living: “Contentment,” #9 | Mac Hammond
Recap
Pastor Mac introduced us to another word with regard to his series on “Wisdom for Living.” It’s the word “contentment.” It may seem kind of milquetoast at first, but if you think about it, contentment has the greatest impact on your life. Ask yourself this question: Are you content in your life? Or are you discontent with how your life is being played out? In this ninth installment of his wisdom series, Pastor Mac teaches about contentment and how to attain it in your life no matter what life brings.
Dive Deeper
The greatest impact on the quality of your life is contentment. Conversely, discontentment is the foundation of the things you don’t want.
We’re called to be one heart, one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel. If you’re an island standing alone, you’re nothing. You’re to be part of a larger body.
Discontent in a relationship will grow into anger or animosity or resentment; even hatred and division will occur.
Discontentment is the foundation of any failure that you experience, both in the body of Christ and as a Christian.
Discontentment says, “I can’t be happy unless this situation changes or that situation changes.”
If you’re discontent with your job or with your level of income, the Lord says that’s not okay. The Lord wants you to do what you do as unto the Lord. You give it your best shot. That’s the only way God can promote or graduate you in that arena of life’s endeavor.
Discontent can touch just about every part of our lives because we are carnal beings. We have a carnal nature, and we live in a body of flesh that makes a lot of demands.
The reason discontentment is so dangerous is because it alters your motive; even when you’re doing the right thing, your motive in doing it is wrong. Your motive is self-gratification.
Discontentment sets you up to go in the exact opposite direction that you want to go in.
What does the apostle Paul say about this matter? He said, “I have learned to be content in whatsoever state I’m in.” He experienced many adverse “states.” He was stoned, beaten, whipped, shipwrecked! In all of that, he said he learned to be content!
What is the definition of content? The Greek word means “inward sufficiency.” The definition in Strong’s Concordance says, “separated or independent of natural circumstance.” Another definition given by W.E. Vines is “without covetousness.” When you covet something, you’re saying you can’t be happy unless you have that.
Read About It
2 Corinthians 4:18, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…”
Discussion Questions
What about you? Overall, are you content or discontent in your life?
Are you overall content with your life but just feel discontent in an area of your life?
What area or areas do you feel discontent and how can you turn your attention in that area back to the Lord and find contentment in Him?