Contentment
in Material Things Yields Happiness:
21 Benefits
The first murder ever to be committed in the history of
Mankind occurred because of jealousy. Interestingly, the meaning of the
murder’s name was, “to acquire/to get.”
That man was Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. He
killed his brother, Abel, because of jealousy over Abel’s good standing with
God. Before committing his evil act, God saw Cain’s envious heart and offered
to forgive and restore him. But Cain was so enraged he rejected God’s mercy and
wisdom and slaughtered his brother. You can read this entire account in Genesis
4:1-17.
Cain’s life is an example of jealousy to the extreme. We
can apply his story to man’s desire to acquire material things and the jealousy
which often results from not having something our neighbor has or something the
lovely smiling person in the advertisement is enjoying.
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| By Connie Wohlford |
Sadly, too many people’s lives are defined by the
feverish acquisition of things. They simply cannot be content with having basic
needs met along with a few frills added in just for fun.
In today’s culture, it appears that many people have a
problem with differentiating between needs and wants.
Needs consist of things required to maintain life—food,
water, clothing and shelter. Granted, in order to maintain needs a job is
required which may call for transportation, tools, a phone, and possibly a
computer. But even these necessities don’t have to be top of the line or
excessive.
Wants consist of things we desire to have but are not necessary
to maintain life. When shopping, I often ask myself, “Can I live without this
item?” If the answer is, “Yes,” I will often not make the purchase. This has
saved me from spending many dollars on things which, in the grand scheme of
things, would have been unwise use of my money.
The Bible gives wise counsel on the subject: “Now
godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and
clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall
into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which
drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all
kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee
these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,
gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:6-11 NKJV).
Consider the immense truth of verse 6, that “godliness
with contentment is great gain.”
Godliness is sincere faith in and devotion to God.
Contentment is being in a state of fulfillment and satisfaction despite
circumstances. Put these two attributes together and you find a person who
trusts God in all matters, is continually joyful, and takes adversity in
stride. This person’s countenance is always pleasant. They don’t complain and
are desirable to be around. This person is a giver, not a taker. I want this
person for my friend. Though I often fall short, I want to be this person.
This is a powerful person. The “great gain” Paul refers
to will have no limit in benefits. To name a few, this person will:
1.
have more peace of mind.
2.
acquire wealth instead if debt.
3.
not be a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).
4.
be free from the bondage of interests cutting
into their resources.
5.
not be jealous of others over material things
(Exodus 20:17).
6.
have fewer arguments with their spouse over finances.
7.
set a good example for their children and
others.
8.
have fewer disagreements about money with their
children.
9.
have money available to help others in need.
10. have
money to give to the building of God’s Eternal Kingdom.
11. stress
less.
12. be healthier
because of less stress.
13. be more
pleasant to be around.
14. not be
given to complaining or criticism.
15. be more
desirable as a friend.
16. be more
desirable as a lifelong mate.
17. be less
likely to take on a victim mentality.
18. spend
less time and frustration shopping, returning, maintaining, and dealing with
material things.
19. build
strength of character in the ability to say, “no.”
20. not stray
from the faith in greediness (v10).
21. be less
likely to fall into the snare of the temptation of foolish and harmful lusts
which drown man in destruction and perdition (damnation) (v9).
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This list of benefits of godliness with contentment could
continue on and on. What are others you can think of?
The Apostle Paul, who overcame many trials, wrote: “I
have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be
in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of
being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living
in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians
4:11b-13 NIV). Paul was in jail when he wrote these words.
Paul gave credit to God for giving him strength to do all
things. We too can do all things God calls us to and we can avoid doing all
things he calls us to not do. God calls us to be content and with the help of
His Spirit in us, we can do this.
Like Paul, we can be content in all circumstances because
we can trust God to meet our needs and to never leave us nor forsake us
(Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).
The Mighty One—the Lord our God—is all powerful and bestows
power on His children. Because of Him we can be content and have, in ourselves,
the power of contentment.
Let’s pray: Holy
Father, I know You are all powerful, that You love me with unfailing love, and
that You want what’s best for me in all situations. Please help me to know the
difference between my needs and my wants and to trust You for the necessities
in my life. Help me to be like Paul and be content in all circumstances. I
praise You and thank You, in Jesus name—Amen.
©Copyright
2018 Connie Wohlford
