Discontentment

Tuesday February 27, 2018

 

Why is there so much discontentment? The wealthy are not happy; they want to keep more of their money. The poor are not happy; they feel that the wealthy should share more of their money. And the middle-class is not happy; they feel they are being squeezed from both sides. Everyone seems to be discontent. Discontentment is dissatisfaction. It is what a person feels when they look at what they drive, where they live, where they work, and how much they earn as compared to others. Discontentment is the result of being dissatisfied with what we have and the lack of satisfaction because of what we don’t have.

 

Most of our discontentment is a result of our awareness of what others have and what we don’t have. It is also the awareness of new products and services on the market. I was content with my cellphone until I became aware that a new version came onto the market. If we were less aware of what others have and what we don’t have we would not feel so much discontentment.

 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  – 1 Timothy 6:6-9 NIV

 

 

In our culture, great gain is mostly about buying and upgrading; it’s about wealth and financial status, not godliness and contentment. If I were to write a book titled, “Great Gain – How to Become Rich” and another one called “Great Gain – How to be Godly”, which one do you think would sell the most? The answer is obvious, but the problem is that we came into the world with nothing and we cannot take anything with us. So, if great gain is about accumulating wealth then at the end we lose. When our contentment is tied into becoming rich, we have fallen into a trap and are susceptible to many temptations.

 

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11 NIV

 

According to the Apostle Paul, discontentment is the result of being aware of the wrong things, things that at the end we are going to lose them anyway. Therefore, the way to find contentment is by changing our awareness so that we become more conscious about becoming the right person rather than having the right things. In the end, no one wins because of what they have; they win because of who they have become. I am not saying that it is one or the other. What I am saying is that sadly, many people are more aware of what they have and do not have instead of focusing on who they are and who they are becoming.

 

QUESTIONS

1. Why do you believe that there is so much discontentment in the world?
2. Financially speaking, do you feel more contentment or discontentment and why?
3. Are you more aware of what you have and do not have or of who you are and who you are becoming?
4. What is more important, what a person has or who a person is? Why?
5. How much time, energy, and resources do you spend on gaining things versus becoming the person God wants you to be?
6. How can you change your awareness so that you become more focused on becoming the right person rather than having the right things?

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I want to become the person you want me to be. I want to look more and more like Jesus. I pray today that you help me to focus on becoming instead of focusing on having. The world tugs and pulls and my focus on having has become the source of my discontentment. I want to be content in all circumstances and become the godly person you intended for me to be. Help me to focus more on you and not on things. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.