Contentment (Generosity Devotional #6*)
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
Read – Hebrews 13:1-6
Apply – In the midst of exhorting Christians to live according to the gospel, the writer to the Hebrews actually commands contentment. Just as contentment is a result of trusting God, it is also the means of trusting God. To be discontent is to accuse God of being either unloving or impotent. Contentment with our life is therefore as important a virtue as love, hospitality, mercy, or fidelity.
Sadly, we liven a culture of discontent. Everyday we see an average of 3,500 ads, each trying to convince us that what we have is not good enough. We need something new, something better, something more fashionable. Desires become hopes, which become wants, which become “needs.” “I’ve just got to have that new HDTV wide-screen TV.” Once the newness wears off, it’s time for another new thing.
Paul advises Timothy to stay focused on the lasting joy of contentment. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Timothy 6:6).
- Are you content with what you have? If not, then why not?
- How do you handle the pressure to “keep up” or conform to a higher standard of living?
Pray – For a renewed heart that is content with God’s provision, that isn’t always looking to new things for satisfaction.
Do – Carefully look at a few ads today. What type of “salvation” or “better life” do they promise (approval, peace of mind, comfort, prestige, etc.)? How do they entice people into thinking that their life isn’t good enough without this thing?
*To supplement our “Live Generously” community group content, we will be posting devotionals every few days. These will benefit both those in the group and those who are not able to make it. Content from “Generosity: How God’s Radical Grace Changes Our Perspective on Money and Possessions” devotional from Redeemer Presbyterian Church.