Contentment

Contentment. What is contentment? The dictionary defines it as being "the quality or state of being contented." Well, what does contented mean? The dictionary defines it as "feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation."

Have we read anything in the Bible yet about contentment? Actually we have...

We've read some about being satisfied with our possessions.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Exodus 20:17

That's one of the Ten Commandments. If God tells us not to want what our neighbors have, doesn't that imply that we should be satisified with what we have?

What about being satisfied with our status (position or rank in relation to others)? Well, we've seen that a couple of places already...

And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Matthew 22:39

If we love our neighbor as ourself, we think of them as being as important as we are - not more or less important than we are. Also when we read about the Fruit of the Spirit, several of the fruit (peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness) deal with how we relate to others or our status in the eyes of others.

Have we read anything about being contented or satisfied in our situation?

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one
of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16b

If God has ordained all the days of our lives and we know He loves us and has a plan for us, why shouldn't we be satisfied with our situation?

So, we've already learned a little bit about why we should be contented. As we continue, we'll learn more about it.