Christian contentment should be sought after with a strong desire to be satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the challenge arises when the cultural norm is to find contentment in the things of this world rather than finding satisfaction in the Savior. People are scrambling all over the face of the earth in an attempt to boost their economy and live in a state of royalty.
Money is often the focus of man, whether he is a believer or an unbeliever. America is filled with philosophies that are centered around living the American dream. Striving in this life, unto death, to make a buck so that a new toy can be bought is the M.O. of many.
As the Christian looks all around him, he sees the direction of the culture, he witnesses the course of the land, and rather than jumping ship, he sets sail and gets carried away by the wind. The heart of the Christian is a fragile piece of his makeup and must be guarded at all costs.
A historical consideration
One of the tragedies of history is the fact that Christians can be influenced by the culture. When this happens, the church has a tendency to interpret the Scriptures based on cultural trends. This can be seen clearly in the fact that many Christians owned slaves back when slave trading was legal. Christians actually thought that it was okay for them to have slaves. The problem is that they were influenced by the culture.
Now that things have changed and we are far removed from the events of yesterday, we can see clearly. The problem is that in the midst of the fog, the Christian can be blinded if he is not careful. A fog that has blinded the eyes of the people in the modern era is that seeking the things of the world is an acceptable practice of the church of God.
What are you seeking?
This is not to say that all of the Christians in the world should go out and sell all that they have and give to the poor. It is also not to say that the members of the body of Christ should go out and live in tents somewhere, living off the land. Nevertheless, the war is raging, but many of the people do not see that it is.
An American Christian, for instance, may think lightly when Jesus said, “…Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (KJV, Matt. 19:23-24).
It would seem as though there is a large group of people who think this verse does not apply to them. But the truth of the matter is that it does. If someone is living in a first-world country, he is rather rich in comparison to the vast majority of those living in the world today.
Jesus warns those who seek to follow Him concerning the sin of the love of money and the things of the world. Elsewhere, He says, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24).
Jesus makes it painfully clear that someone cannot be living for a dollar and also living for God. The subtlety of this sin must be exposed, as many people are falling into the deceptive trap of the enemy.
But what does all this mean? How should the Christian go about this matter? At the outset, it is important to note that it does not mean that the Christian should be financially poor. It is okay to have money in the bank. The problem arises when people seek the things of this world rather than seek God. What are you seeking? Whom are you seeking? The answer to these questions will expose your heart.
Shortly after Jesus told His listeners that they could not serve God and money, He transitioned into the way that the people were seeking food and clothing. At the end of this portion of Scripture, He says, “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)… But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:32-33). The people were seeking the wrong stuff. They should have been seeking God.
Once again, the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart, as is much that is to be found in the Sermon on the Mount. Having money is not evil, but the love of money is. Instead of seeking after material possessions and the things of this world, the Christian should be seeking after the Lord and striving to be content in Christ.
Christian contentment
The Bible has much to say about contentment. It is a virtue that is indispensable in the cultivation of Christian joy, thankfulness, and heartfelt praise. Scripture says, “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Prov. 15:16). Oh, how the Bible runs contrary to the ways of man, and all who seek after the Savior will soon see the deceptive nature of society.
The Christian would be hard pressed to find a more pointed Scripture on the topic of Christian contentment than what is to be found in the book of Hebrews. Scripture says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). Keep covetous living far from you, and be content with what you have. However, the Scripture ends on a rather confusing note for the fast reader of the Bible.
Meditating on Scripture is one of the most profitable habits that a Christian can develop. It is through meditation and the help of the Spirit that a Scripture such as Hebrews 13:5 begins to make sense. When the writer tells his readers, “for he hath said,” he uses the conjunction “for,” which reveals to us a reason for what is being said.
In other words, the reason for abstaining from covetous living and being content with what you have comes from the fact that God will never leave you nor forsake you.
But what does this mean? Why is this significant? When one reads quickly, he may see the words without grasping the meaning of the text. Slow down in your reading if you find that this happens to you. When the author speaks of God’s being with the Christian and never leaving the Christian, he is highlighting an essential element in developing Christian contentment.
The element is this: When someone has Christ, he has it all. Christ is of infinite value, and His worth is incomparable to the things of this world. The Christian is rich beyond measure because he has Christ and Christ will never let him go.
It is out of this reality that the Christian can be content with what he has and will find no need to engage in covetous living. It is with the foundation of Christ that someone may seek the kingdom of God first and say no to the things of the world.
Friendly reminder
Once again, having money is not sinful. This article was not meant to condemn those with money. However, there are many people that must be warned against the subtlety of sin. A desire to seek the things of the world is something that everyone needs to be on guard against, the rich or the poor.
Guard your heart, and seek the Lord above all else. Find your place of rest in the presence of the Savior and the promise of Scripture, which remind you of the fact that in Christ, you have it all. Turn from serving the things of the world, as you will be unable to serve two masters.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for giving me warnings in Your Word. I pray that You would help me to guard my heart against the attacks of the enemy and the allurements of the world. Teach me how to find my rest in Christ this day and to believe that I am eternally and infinitely rich in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.