“As a godly woman, contentment is one of the most beautiful “garments” you can wear. In your marriage, contentment speaks straight to the heart of your husband. It says, “What you do for me is enough, and I am grateful”. And I’m not sure we could say anything sweeter to his ears than that!”
Isn’t it funny how we all know about the importance of being content, but it’s so hard to develop the habit? Can you imagine how drastically our lives would change if we embraced true contentment AND TAUGHT OUR CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME?
Living in America proves the greatest irony of the human condition…the more you have the more you want. AND, more doesn’t make one better (usually is has the opposite effect).
And Paul was right…the love of money (or things) is the root of all kinds of evil. Even in our debates about the root of abortion, the root of divorce, the root of–fill in the blank, we can trace them all back to the love of money.
We want a better life–for ourselves and for our children. But our definition of *better* is so distorted!
In pursuit of this “better” life we sacrifice life itself…on so many levels. We sacrifice our own unborn children, either by preventing them, or killing them in the womb. We sacrifice the lives of the ones we do have by abandoning them in order to work and make more money so they can have that “better” life, when a better life would just be more of ourselves, more of our sanity, and more of our tranquility.
And we prove over and over that we really don’t believe the Bible. Listen carefully to Paul’s words in 1 Timothy:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
Food and clothing…he doesn’t even mention shelter!!! Think about the things we covet and complain about not having! Oh that we could strip ourselves of this worldly burden of greed and just be content.
As a godly woman, contentment is one of the most beautiful “garments” you can wear. In your marriage, contentment speaks straight to the heart of your husband. It says, “What you do for me is enough, and I am grateful”. And I’m not sure we could say anything sweeter to his ears than that!
But when we keep lists of all the things we need and want, without even realizing it, we tell our husbands that his hard work is NOT enough; that we are not grateful for the energies he constantly pours out to provide.
I try to think of the children of Israel and the wrath of God they evoked through their discontentment. Try to find time today to read Psalm 78. It is a telling chapter of God’s anger over their complaining. And it is a word meant for us still today.
“Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers…but they sinned even more against Him by rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness. And they tested God in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy….Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious;…because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation.”
Contentment is closely related to faith; believing that God is our provider and allowing ourselves to be settled that what He gives, we will receive with gratefulness.
Let’s spend our day today counting our blessings, naming them one by one. What beauty exudes from a woman full of contentment and gratitude!
And be sure to tell your husband that you are grateful for his hard work, then show him your contentment!
Part 8: Make-over: Wise Women Build
Part 9: Make-over: The Total Beautiful Woman
9 comments
Thank you so much for this encouraging but convicting post. I have actually been studying the topic of contentment in the Bible for a few weeks now, and your words were perfectly complementary. As an unmarried young woman whose greatest aspiration is to someday be a wife, mother, and homemaker, I struggle at times to be content with my present season of life.
The Lord is graciously teaching me what you said here: “Contentment is closely related to faith; believing that God is our provider and allowing ourselves to be settled that what He gives, we will receive with gratefulness.”
Contentment is something that I have to work hard towards each day. Why? On a regular basis, I keep thinking that I am “not doing enough.” I still keep thinking that I should have a “better job,” that “high paying career” that my parents drilled into me for the MANY years I was single, and that I am “wasting my life” being “just a helpmeet” to my husband. When you have been fed the feminist lie for SO long (such as I have) contentment can be a REAL challenge!
You are correct when you say that contentment has much to do with faith. In fact, being content spreads into many facets of our everyday lives. I think many of use just don’t realize it.
Being content with our present lot in life is always difficult. I think we can only appreciate what we have and where we are at with God’s help and grace that he freely gives to us, if only we will open our hearts and minds to His will.
Yes, I agree that contentment is closely related to faith. While not having arrived (obvious to those who know me), I find when my focus is on Him and His Words, my faith increases as does my contentment. When I become self-focused (trusting self) and not trusting the Lord with certain situations, anxiety and discontentment increases. It seems trusting God with all areas, big and small, naturally leads to greater contentment.
Good post. Thank you, Kelly!
I have always struggled with contentment. God has helped me so much these past few years! Going through a low time financially can really help us get to the point where we are thankful for every blessing.
A few years ago my husband’s company laid off everyone so my husband lost his job. We went through 2 years of bare bone struggling, but the Lord provided the things we NEEDED. I am so grateful now that the Lord allowed us to go through those hard times because I learned what contentment feels like.(true contentment even when you have very little in the “stuff” department). May I keep that sense of contentment throughout my life. Even when financial blessings abound.
Thank you for pointing out the importance of contentment. As Westerners, we have been indoctrinated to be eternally disatisfied. Engineered to make us consume and generate money, this discontentment is distracting us from what is really essential in life: faith, love, compassion, family, community and preparing a sustainable future for our children. Unless we free ourselves of our discontentment and become aware of the bigger picture, we can be nothing but shadows of our true selves.
[…] Part 7: Make-over: Contentment is Lovely […]
Wow! This post *really* spoke to me! I never realized how much my attitude affects my Husband. Thank you for posting this! I will think more carefully about my attitude after this.
[…] Part 7: Make-over: Contentment is Lovely […]
[…] Part 7: Make-over: Contentment is Lovely […]