Whoa there, that’s a big word. And the subject keeps coming up – at work, in church, in random conversation – so I think there is a lesson I’m supposed to be learning here.
Dictionary.com (I know, a valid source) simply defines contentment as “happiness with one’s situation in life.” Then Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary goes and makes things all complicated by defining it as “a state of mind in which one’s desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1 Tim. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:8). It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb. 13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, 34), and repining (1 Cor. 10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine providence (Ps. 96:1, 2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2 Pet. 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Gen. 32:10); as well as from the view the gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Rom. 5:2).” So I’m not really sure where to start with this one.
I work in the non-profit world, and we’ve been affected by the downturn in the economy. We have a very small staff and we truly are like a little family. So because donations and funding have been down for us, we have had to make some sacrifices. Instead of letting staff go, we were all cut a day a week in January to help bring costs down. And while it was hard, and it was challenging, we were all happy to do it. Seriously, I’m not just saying that. Which is why I’m so blessed to work where I work, because we would all rather take a 20% cut than see one of our family members leave! But I digress (I have a problem with that) – my point is that while we all weren’t really that happy with it, we were content in the fact that this is what we had to do in order to make our company, and in turn our jobs, survive. That probably goes somewhat more with the first definition of contentment.
But three times in the same week, random people at my church talked about the importance of contentment in our lives as a Christian. When I started this post, those were fresh in my memory; however, I had this saved for a while until I could devote time to it and now I’ve forgotten it all. The second definition of contentment is a little much for me to tackle the whole thing right now; the part really rang true is the part that says “contentment is opposed to anxiety.” This is why I have such a hard time with contentment, because I worry and I obsess and I get anxious about things that I can’t control. I want to know what other people are thinking; I want to know the outcome of my problem; I want to know exactly where I’ll be in five years; I can’t just be ok and turn things over to God. It’s the single biggest thing I am struggling with right now, and it has become more and more prevalent in my life in the past months.
But how do you do it? How do you let go of that anxiety and trust that God will take care of everything? I know intellectually that He will, but how do I put it into practice? I do know that He will provide for me. I know that I don’t have to have anxiety, but how do I just give it up? How can I be content knowing what I know right now, or not knowing anything at all?
I really don’t have an answer. All I can do is work at it, knowing that He will give me the strength to do anything, and trust that He is guiding my steps and no matter what happens, He will take care of me! It’s a comforting thought. Even if not much else in my life is clear, that I can be certain of.
