What does it mean to be content?? What is contentment???

        "I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Philippians 4:10-13 

Contentment is defined as an emotional or mental state of satisfaction; peace of mind; willing to accept the circumstances. Contentment is a word that most people I have known struggle to grasp. Contentment goes against something innate that longs for more or refuse to accept something 'as is'. Contentment can strike fear into the heart making us feel stuck in this state of now.

What does it mean to be content? What is true contentment? How do we become content? Paul said that in ALL things he learned to be content, in lack and in plenty, in sickness and in health, in trail and in peace. But how did he learn to be content? How did he learn to take a circumstance for exactly what it was and find happiness? I believe that contentment is truly a matter of the heart and a battle of the mind. Contentment cannot be passed down or given as a gift. Contentment must be learned, practiced, and developed. How can someone truly learn to be content? How can they practice contentment? How can they develop it?

For me contentment has been hard. I have often confused contentment with complacency. At times I have looked at a situation and thought "It is what it is and this is just how it is going to be. I can't change it so I need to get over it," and became settled in that situation. That is complacency. Contentment for me is looking at that same situation and saying "This is the current situation but it will not be like this forever. In spite of what is happening now my heart will be filled with joy and will seek His will." It is taking what the world has dealt you and making the most of it... Contentment is not laying down and dying, it is not saying that you are settled here. Contentment is saying that in everything I will have peace, joy, hope, and happiness... it is always seeing the bright side. Complacency is stagnancy, lacking forward motion. Contentment is peace with foresight and forward mindedness.  

So how do we become content? First off we must decipher the state of our hearts. Have we become complacent and lost forward movement? Have we accepted our current circumstance as final with no change in sight? Then we must prune the areas where complacency has taken hold and identify the root of it... Are we complacent because of lack of trust, bitterness, anger, hurt, etc? The only way to overcome those things is to truly allow God to do a healing in our hearts. The process may be painful but living in those things is more painful and killing us from the inside out. Secondly, we must fill our minds with the weapons (scriptures) that we need to equip us for our current situation. Find resources (ie books, dvds, cds, people) that can help build up our faith in the arena that we are fighting. And then finally, We must recognize that there is nothing within ourselves that can bring contentment and that true contentment comes only through a personal relationship with Christ. The more we are in relationship with Him the more content we will be in life. When we are so filled up with Him, His Word, and His Spirit then our happiness and joy is not based on what we have or do not have; it is not based on a person or the lack of people; it is solely based on Who HE is in us, around us, and through us.

So now we know how Paul learned to be content... He communioned with the Father. He emptied himself of Paul and filled himself with Christ. Whenever I am struggling with my attitude about a situation or find my faith is weak I am quickly reminded that I have not emptied myself of me and filled up with Him. When complaining sets in, when complacency starts to creep in, when dissatisfaction rears its ugly head I know what I have not done correctly.

Contentment is not looking at sickness and saying you are ok with being sick. It is looking at sickness and saying in spite of you I will rejoice... no matter what may come my happiness is not based on the outcome. Contentment is saying even in times of lack I will praise, I will have a thankful heart, I will keep my mind stayed on Him. Contentment is saying that in times of waiting our hope is in Him... when our faith becomes weak His is our strength.

Praying you find contentment with whatever place you are at in life. And that your heart is filled with peace that calms the storms.