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The key to contentment
by Adam Bennett Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 ESV) 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, "there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." Paul also wrote, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (Philippians 4:11) The common principle in these passages is that we should be content with what we have. In the letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded that what we possess, a treasure beyond comparison, is God himself. The writer associates the idea of being content with what we have with the statement, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." In our culture contentment is a radical idea. But the writer to the Hebrews has an even more extreme position. Earlier in the letter he wrote, "you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one." (Hebrews 10:34) Not only does the author expect that 'possessing' God would assure us of contentment without earthly riches, but we would even be prepared for that wealth to be taken from us because we had something better and eternal. Copyright Adam Bennett 2009. More articles are available at http://godward-thoughts.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |