In review of 1 Timothy 6:6-7 it reminds me, “There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it” (NRSV).
I should honor God and center my desires on him, and I should be content with what God is doing in my life. Learn to be content and keep away from the love and trust in money. Paul's guidelines are: 1). realize that one day riches will be gone, 2). be content with what you have, 3). monitor what I'm willing to do to get more money/wealth, 4). love people more than money, 5). love God's work more than money, 6). freely share what I have with others.
God is more interested in my character than my comfort. He’s not going to give me things if I haven’t learned the principle of contentment first. Contentment is not a lack of ambition. It’s not a lack of goals. Contentment means my happiness doesn’t depend on my circumstances.
How do I eliminate discontent? I eliminate the cause: comparing. We compare everything in this country; lawns, cars, husbands and wives, clothes, the education of our kids.
Whenever I compare, I’m going to become discontent. Learn to stop comparing myself to others.
Paul says in Philippians 4:12, “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” (NIV). Contentment does not come naturally; it is something I have to learn. If I do this, God promises to meet all my financial needs.
One of the greatest secrets in learning to be content is to realize that I don’t really own anything. It’s all on loan to me for a few decades! I didn’t bring a single thing into this world, and I’m not going to carry anything out of it, either. I just get to use it while I’m here on earth.
The Bible calls that stewardship. I am the manager or steward of what God allows me to have while I’m here, but it’s not really mine. When I understand that I’m just a manager of the blessings God allows in my life and I hold them with an open hand, I won’t be uptight about losing them.
So what if I lose things? God can turn off one faucet and turn on another just as easily. Learn to be content because things don’t last. God is more interested in my character than my comfort.
In summary, there is great gain in leaning to be content. I brought nothing into this world, and will take nothing out of it in the end. Learn to honor God and center my desires on him. Be content with what God is doing in my life. Keep away from the love and trust in money or wealth. Monitory what I'm willing to do just to get more. Love people and God more than money. Freely share what I have. God is more interested in my character than in my comfort. Contentment means my happiness doesn't depend on my circumstances. Eliminate discontent by eliminating comparing. When I compare myself to other, I'll become discontent. Realize that I don't own anything, I am only a steward. It's all on loan to me. I just get to use it. Learn to hold what I have with an open hand. Don't be uptight about losing it. God can turn off one faucet and turn on another. Remember that God is more interested in my character than in my comfort.
I need to learn to be content with what God is doing in my life. Eliminate the tendency to compare myself to others. I am just a steward. What I have is on loan to me. God is more interested in developing and growing my character than he is in my comfort.
I pray this morning Father for the Holy Spirit to infuse me with this perspective today. Please give me wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I pray through your Son Jesus name, Amen.
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