Contentment Is a Sign of Maturity

In review of Ecclesiastes 6:9 it says, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else”

Bottom Line:

Enjoy what you have rather than always desiring what you don’t have.

What this means to me:

It is much better for me to be satisfied and enjoy what I have than to be always wanting something else.

This verse reminds me that instead of being regretful, I need to be grateful. Instead of complaining, I need to remember that everything I have is a gift from God.

1 Corinthians 4:7-8 also reminds me, “Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need” (MSG).

Envy in my life will always ask, “Why them and not me?” Gratitude on the other hand says, “Why me?” Envy is based on the myth that I must have more in order to be happier. It’s just not true. Happiness is a choice. If I’m not happy now, I won’t be happy with more. I will be as happy as I choose to be.

Today’s verse from Ecclesiastes 6:9 says, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else” (GNT). This is best defined as contentment. And I sure need to practice contentment.

By nature I’m not a contented person. But I don’t think I’m alone in this. It is not natural to be contented. It is however mature to be contented. Babies are discontented. Unless everything is going their way, they’re not satisfied. Therefore, maturity is learning to be content when things are not going your way. As today’s verse mentions, It is better to be satisfied with what I have than to always want something more.

For clarification: Envy is not desire. Desire is good. Envy is not ambition. Ambition is good. I ought to be ambitious and work for good things. Envy is not a dream. I ought to have a dream. Envy is not setting goals. Dreams, ambitions, goals, and desires are all things that God puts in me.

Envy is resenting others who have something already and thinking that I can’t be happy until I get it, too. Both of those are lies. Instead, learn to be grateful for who I am and what I have. Everything I have is a gift from God!

Today I will consider what I can do to practice gratitude.  Also, I will consider how I can turn any temptation to resent someone because of what they have, into gratitude.