Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Simplicity” The Path to Contentment
Review
Those who long for a deeper connection with God and an increased capacity to live life on a higher plane must engage in the things that facilitate such a life. Scripture identities particular habits, exercises, practices, disciplines designed to exercise and develop the soul. Each discipline increases our spiritual capacity just like physical exercise enables us to run further, work longer and enjoy activity to a higher degree. One such discipline is a life style of sacrifice which willingly offers something we value highly for the sake of someone or something valued more highly. The incorporation of this discipline in my daily life diminishes the pull of selfishness and develops selflessness which conditions the soul for deeper relationship with God and more effective service. Would I give $100 now for $1000 return later? Would I give up carbohydrates now for clean arteries later? The list goes on. If we could only catch a clear glimpse of the connection between today’s discipline and its affect on the eternal, we might more readily forgo today’s pleasure; we would enthusiastically sacrifice time, money, possessions, pleasure, power today for tomorrow’s eternal benefits. The difference between blessing and bondage lies in who controls who. Sacrifice and abstinence enable us to break the control the pursuit of these things so easily seize over our life. God created us to enjoy Him.
God created us to delight in His presence and in what He has provided for us. Early on, Satan stirred discontent in Eve with both God and the environment He provided for them and urged Eve to seek satisfaction and pleasure independent from God’s ways. Today people continue to seek satisfaction from anything but God and what He provides. They seek contentment but from all the wrong sources.
The principle of Contentment
Contentment is a feeling of calm satisfaction, a freedom from care or worry, a sense of pleasure. Proper thinking promotes that pleasurable feeling.
CONTENTMENT. The noun ‘contentment’ occurs only once in (1 Tim. 6:6), but its Greek equivalent autarkeia appears also in 2 Cor. 9:8 as ‘enough’; the adjective autarkes in Phil. 4:11 and the verb arkeo in Lk. 3:14; 1 Tim. 6:8; Heb. 13:5; 3 Jn. 10; see also 2 Cor. 12:9, ‘is sufficient’. autarkeia denotes freedom from reliance upon others, whether other persons or other things; hence the satisfaction of one’s needs (2 Cor. 9:8) or the control of one’s desires (1 Tim. 6:6, 8). It is not a passive acceptance of the status quo, but the positive assurance that God has supplied one’s needs, and the consequent release from unnecessary desire. The Christian can be ‘self-contained’ because he has been satisfied by the grace of God (2 Cor. 12:9). The Christian spirit of contentment follows the fundamental commandment of Ex. 20:17 against covetousness, the precept of Pr. 15:17; 17:1, the exhortations of the prophets against avarice (e.g. Mi. 2:2) and supremely the example and teaching of Jesus, who rebuked the discontent which grasps at material possessions to the neglect of God (Luke 12:13–21) and who commended such confidence in our Father in heaven as will dispel all anxiety concerning physical supplies (Mt. 6:25–32). In the Old Testament the phrase ‘be content’ (from Hebrew. ya’al indicates pleasure or willingness to do a certain action, usually one which has been requested by another person, e.g. Ex. 2:21; Jdg. 17:11; 2 Ki. 5:23. J.C.C.
Most people live with continual discontent which would be a feeling of agitated dissatisfaction, bondage to care and worry, a sense of displeasure.
Discontent with myself, with God, with the church, with work, with family, with my environment, with my health, with people. That discontent fosters any number of other poisonous weeds that choke out our life. Grumbling, worry, bitterness, selfish ambition, greed, restlessness, fatigue, perfectionism, impatience, anger, control, ingratitude, addictions, spending problems, jealousy, envy, lying, stealing. James (3:14-16) says that bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are worldly, fleshly and demonic traits resulting in disorder and every evil thing. We expect that a change in our circumstances will bring about the contentment and satisfaction we so long to experience.
Contentment is not circumstantial it is contemplational.
Contentment is a state of mind not a state of affairs.
The feeling of contentment comes from right thinking; adopting an eternal perspective.
Jesus warned about the greed that arises when we think life revolves around our possessions.
"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. Isaiah 55:1-2
Jesus said that only He eradicates that feeling of discontent, that hunger, that empty space in the core of your being.
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:35
The more you try to fill it with stuff or activity or pleasure or riches the emptier you feel.
Solomon spent his entire life trying to fill that hole and achieve that sense of satisfaction. The more he tried, the more he slammed into this inescapable truth. Life viewed and lived without eternal perspective is meaningless. Vanity of vanity all is vanity. Such a life is empty, momentary vapor, meaningless, pointless, zero. The only thing left in life is grab what pleasure and satisfaction you can while you live because that’s all there is! Only at the end of his life did he finally come to understand the most important principle that many never learn. Life under the sun is pointless and fleeting, while life with the SON of God is purposeful and forever. Only a life viewed and lived from an eternal perspective can find meaning and satisfaction.
God urges us to be content with what we have lest we fall into the trap of pursing what does not last or truly satisfy.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
God urges us to be content with basic needs – food and clothes.
The Secret of Contentment
How do we get there? What is the secret of contentment in any circumstances? What thinking brings about the feeling of calm satisfaction, freedom form worry and care and sense of pleasure in this life?
Paul’s Example
Paul’s circumstances were less than ideal yet he learned the secret of contentment. Listen to a day in life of Paul.
Paul experienced…far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, near death many times. Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea. On frequent journeys, [I faced] dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers; labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
If anyone had occasion to be discontent it would have been Paul. The letter that Paul shared the secret of contentment was written amidst a number of chaotic circumstances that would test any one’s contentment and inflame discontent.
In prison for his faith
Facing possible execution
Fellow Christians were badmouthing him
Close friends were sick and near death
People in the church weren’t getting along
What was Paul’s attitude?
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Paul’s secret
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. Philippians 4:10-12
Paul had nothing to promote, nothing to prove, nothing to protect. He could truly appreciate any gift because it was not an expectation and his satisfaction and joy was not based on need. He did not need the affirmation of others. He was free to desire it and even delight in it but not demand it. His well being did not depend on it. He did not have a self-centered agenda. He wasn’t trying to protect territory, build a ministry, gain approval, seek affirmation, bolster ego or please people. His contentment had NOTHING to do with people or things. Paul had learned to be content in whatever circumstance. He learned the secret of not being driven by external things. He maintained a calm sense of satisfaction when he had nothing or when everything had. Having nothing did not drive him to acquire. Having much did not drive him to amass more. Perhaps the full answer to his contentment is imbedded throughout the whole letter rather than from just this section. The letter reveals Paul’s thinking about life which generated his feeling about living. Because he thought right he felt content – he enjoyed a calm satisfaction concerning life that was divorced from any external factors.
Chapter 1 – Paul lived to exalt Christ. “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”
Chapter 2 – Paul lived to serve Christ by serving others
Chapter 3 – Paul considered everything secondary to knowing Christ better.
Chapter 4 – Paul prayed about everything; worried about nothing
Paul fully expected Christ to strengthen him in any circumstance.
How extensive was Paul’s contentment?
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Paul was content having more than enough. Paul was content having nothing. Paul was even content with an oppressive demonic affliction.
His contentment; his feeling of calm satisfaction and pleasure came form the realization that:
• He pursued the greatest aim in life -- Live for Christ
• He adopted the greatest attitude in life -- Serve Christ by serving others.
• He aspired to the greatest ambition -- know Christ above everything else
• He had the greatest access to the greatest Advocate – pray about everything rather worry about anything
• He had the greatest ability -- the strength of Christ that enables him to handle anything.
The core of contentment has to do with an unshakable trust in God’s active presence.
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have;
What is the reason we can live with such contentment?
for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" Hebrews 13:5-6
When we realize that Christ stands at the center of every circumstance. Nothing can happen that does not have a purpose. He is there to help. If he is there, then there is not reason to be afraid of men or circumstances. We may not understand what He is doing. We may not even agree with what is happening. Yet when we fully perceive His active presence to eliminate the turbulence or strengthen us to endure it, we can experience contentment even in the midst of chaos.
Assured of God’s continual presence I am able to rest.
If He doesn’t provide it I don’t need it.
If He doesn’t change it He has a purpose for it and I anticipate the growth.
If He doesn’t produce it, I don’t need it.
His grace is sufficient and we can be content even in our weakness.
The feeling of contentment comes from the thinking of faith and trust. Contentment does not come from fixing things or changing things or changing my environment or circumstance or state in life. Paul learned the secret of being content in whatever circumstance. Like Jesus, Paul learned to entrust His soul to a Faithful Creator to do what is right.
Others have learned the secret as well.
An early poem by Fanny Crosby who lost her sight as a child due to a doctor’s mistake.
Oh, what a happy child I am, although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world contented I will be.
Robinson Crusoe, on his deserted island, after his heart had been changed by finding a Bible among the chests he had salvaged from his wrecked ship.
I learned to look more upon the bright side of my condition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what I enjoyed, rather than what I wanted; and this gave me sometimes such secret comforts, that I cannot express them; and which I take notice here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that He has not given them. All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
? If you cannot get what you like, why not try to like what you get? Author unknown
? He who is not contented with what he has would not be contented with what he would like to have. Author unknown
? The Lord is my shepherd, that’s all I want. Author unknown, young child misquoting the 23rd Psalm
? Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and happy choice. John Balguy
? God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper
? It is so important not to waste what is precious by spending all one’s time and emotion on fretting or complaining over what one does not have. Edith Schaeffer
? A little is as much as a lot, if it is enough. Steve Brown
Once a rich industrialist, disturbed to find a fisherman sitting idly by his boat, asked, “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” was the reply.
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” asked the rich man. “What would I do with them?”
“You could earn more money and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.” “Then what would I do?” asked the fisherman.
“You could sit down and enjoy life.” “What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied.
The APPLICATION of the principle of contentment
When we get our thinking strait our feelings come around. Feelings of contentment / satisfaction come from thoughts of confidence in God’s presence and provision.
THINK and CONTEMPLATE
• I pursue the greatest aim – live for Christ and exalt Him by life or death.
• I embrace life’s greatest attitude – humbly serve Christ by serving others
• I aspire to life’s greatest ambition – know Christ above everything.
• I have the greatest access to the greatest Advocate.
• I have the greatest ability to accomplish what God asks me to accomplish.
CHOOSE TO TRUST
Satisfaction in life does not depend on any one or anything. True contentment and satisfaction comes through vital relationship with and reliance on Jesus Christ.
For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness(silence) and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15
The parallel language is reversed in the second line.
In repentance and rest you will be saved.
In trust and quietness is your strength.
Reverse the principle
In stubbornness and striving you will lose your way.
In unbelief and busyness your will lose your strength.
Discontent has to do with unbelief. (God is not going to give me what I want.)
Discontent has to do with selfish ambition. (It is up to me to do it myself.)
Contentment comes when I reaffirm my trust in God.
Contentment comes when I cease striving and know that He is God.
Contentment comes when I realize and affirm that He is all I need and He is all I want.
Jesus came into the world with nothing material and left with nothing material.
He spent the 30 years pursuing nothing material or personal and left an eternal legacy.
We come and go the same but what we do in between determines what eternal legacy we will leave.
CHOOSE TO WANT LESS RATHER THAN TO HAVE MORE
Moses relinquished all the treasures of Egypt because He considered the reward of Christ greater than the passing pleasures.
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:17-21
IDENTIFY YOUR POCKETS OF DISCONTENT.
Why are you discontent?
What do you expect from that person or thing?
Feelings of discontent expose areas of disbelief.
TRACE YOUR THINKING.
Do you expect to find satisfaction from those things?
PRACTICE SIMPLICITY
The discipline of simplicity breaks the control that stuff gains over my life.
Contentment inspires simplicity.
Simplicity affirms contentment.
Simplicity and contentment condition the soul for greater effectiveness and deeper intimacy.
I come to desire fewer things of this earth.
I give less time and energy to temporal concerns.
I set my mind on things above.
I lay aside every encumbrance to a deeper walk with God.
Satan led Eve away from the simplicity of devotion to Christ.
Martha allowed life to bring distraction, worry and contention to divert her attention fro the ONE necessary thing.
STOP TRYING TO CONTROL WHAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL.
STOP TRYING TO ACQUIRE WHAT WILL NEVER SATISFY AND FOCUS ON CHRIST ALONE
