Finding Contentment

I think the two words in the above title may be easier said than done in some cases, because people, in general, are prone to see what they don’t have rather than disciplining their mind to appreciate what they do have.

Materialistic people of this generation are fighting a battle within themselves.  They are trying to find contentment even though there are more tangible things at their disposal than ever before. Greater opportunities are in place to make it easier for them to acquire material entities, which were not available in my dad’s day when making ends meet was more than a challenge, especially during the depression era.

Plastic currency speaks loudly its buying power in today’s hi-Tech marketplace.  I believe the ease of going in debt is at an all-time high, which, in my opinion, is the all-consuming reason why people find it difficult to embrace contentment with the things they have.  Their desire is to have just a little more, but rarely do they need all that is obtained.  

The task of trying to keep up with the additional outflow of money each month to pay for their over-spending looms heavily.  Every area of their coming and going is affected, which becomes a huge mental strain, to say the least.

There is no stress like financial ineptness.  When people attempt to live beyond their means, it ultimately affects their ability to lay-in-store the required funds necessary to sustain future emergencies should they occur.  Money-in-reserve is a luxury they fail to put into practice, because they have not learned that it is a necessity to implement this essential safeguard when budgeting their income. 

The philosophy of those that are never satisfied with the existing statuesque, will, as you might expect, mirror the following thought:  “Live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself.”  Could this type of mindset be partly to blame for lose of personal property such as:  cars, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes?  Perhaps bad choices attribute to the lack of money that is needed to sustain ownership of such things.

The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence as some folks think.  I am acquainted with individuals that, for the most part, are their own worst enemy when it comes to finding contentment.  They have a yearning spirit for something more, but when they obtain it, happiness quickly fades.  Peace of mind is short-lived; momentary. 

It is less than ideal when people place their value system in things rather than God.  Things in themselves cannot provide lasting contentment.  Only God can fill the void in a person's heart.  

People with this trait have a condition I call, “farsightedness.”  They only see things that are afar off rather than the personal property they possess in their immediate surroundings.  If they would focus upon what they have and not what they don’t have, the splendor of their possessions would not lose the luster.  Lustful glances across the fence can rule a person’s better judgment.  If yielded to, it may not be long before trouble is knocking at the door. 

This desire for bigger and better things consumes thought process, which keeps a person at bay from experiencing joy in the present.  All they can think about is what they do not have.  It seems that finding contentment is not their forte, because of farsightedness, but anyone can change their ways if they so choose.

A newly built home, for example, will fail to satisfy the non-appeasable person.  Boats and exotic cars lose their magnetism after awhile.  Things are unsuccessful in providing lasting joy to those that long for “bigger and better.”   Something new has to be obtained to keep the anticipation and high going.  Their state of mind and outlook on life become out of focus, because their vision is obscured by wants.

When a person is always peering over the fence beyond their own backyard; hoping for something more and wanting what they do not have; how can they find contentment in the now?  Sadly, life becomes skewed and unbalanced.  The search for satisfaction becomes a never ending quest, which causes the unquenchable thirst for fulfillment to continue.

Living an unfulfilled routine is like standing at the edge of a ravine.  I will call it, “desire.”  It separates a person from the other side where “happiness” is perceived to exist.  They risk grievous consequences that the ravine poses on their trek to obtain that which is on the other side.

They assure themselves that finding contentment is imminent, but it is only false hope that spurs them onward.  They are willing to suffer the scrapes and bruises of money difficulties and potential lose of possessions, because desire prevails. 

I can attest that finding contentment takes effort, but it is not impossible to achieve.  All it takes is being thankful to God for the things He has blessed us with and doing our best to put Him first in all areas of life.

I believe when we show appreciation for what we have and trust God to continue supplying our needs, contentment follows.  And when we give away from ourselves, God gives back to us a much greater portion than what was given.  We feel content and satisfied.

(Luke 6:38), “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

A person exists in a world of their making.  Bad decisions create ongoing regrets with unfulfilled desires when the newness of attainment has worn off.  This mind-set is usually coupled with dissatisfaction, because they have not learned to be content with what they have.

Finding contentment cannot become a reality as long as people continue to gaze across the fence and drool over things they do not possess, especially when spending money beyond good judgment.  Life becomes a merry-go-round of frustration, which affects all areas of an unfulfilled existence.

(Matthew 6:19-21), “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;” vs.20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  vs.21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Peace and contentment follow those that rise early to give God praise for another day.  Finding contentment is pursuant to those that thank God for what they have in Christ Jesus their Savior.

Written by,

Papa Boyd