Soulfood

Lydia Brownback

Paul learned contentment through hard-won experience. Schooling in contentment is learned through living without something we want. When we believe that we must have *X* if we are going to be happy, we will be discontent and resentful. The undercurrent of dissatisfaction is the heart of discontentment.

Unmet needs and longings are many and varied. The underlying trigger is not always obvious. We feel “off” or “incomplete” and don’t know why. So getting at the heart issues is the key to understanding how to get out of discontentment.

First, when we discover discontentment we want to uncover what the person is doing about it. Where are they looking? What are they doing about their discontentment? Are they looking to the Lord? Are they working to grow closer to God through Christ? The goal is to point to Christ.

When escapism or avoidance becomes a lifestyle, it is generally a problem with belief – the way we think and our expectations. Our wrong beliefs about God and ourselves fuel our discontentment.

Contentment isn’t rooted in our circumstances. Paul teaches us by his life how to be contented in every circumstance. Paul learned contentment by suffering, through understanding his need for God, and in obedience to Christ.

Paul learned contentment through suffering. 2 Cor. 11:16-33. Suffering often causes us to doubt God’s goodness. But living faithfully often increases suffering.

Paul learned contentment through dependence. 2 Cor. 1:3-11. Paul has learned that his only comfort is in Christ. But understanding that he is utterly dependent (reliant) on God who raises the dead (v9).

God leads us into situations that show us our utter incompetence and helplessness to teach us our need for Him. When we expect in our hearts that we don’t need Him we can despair even of life (v8).

Psalm 131 the weaned child is a picture of contentment.

Paul learned contentment through acceptance. Paul’s thorn (2 Cor. 12:1-10) taught him to accept God’s answer even though it wasn’t what he wanted. It was better. So he rested in God’s care because he trusted God.

God’s school of contentment involves suffering, showing us our utter dependence on Him, and bringing us to accept answers that aren’t the ones we want to hear.

Philippians is written when Paul is in prison. And yet he is able to rejoice and be contented in those circumstances. His focus is upward and outward. Contentment frees us from destructive introspection. Discontentment is always rooted in self-focus. Contentment looks away from self and towards God and neighbor. When we live for Christ all good things are ours.

Contentment doesn’t mean that we give up on our unmet needs and unfulfilled desires. It means that we are not disappointed with what God has given us. God knows best, and He is bringing each one of us closer and closer to the point where we say with our whole hearts that to live is Christ!