Week of Prayer, Day 2: Cultivating Contentment
— Meditation —
Take a relaxed, slow-paced moment to meditate on Jesus’ teaching on money and possessions below:
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
“So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12v15-21 (ESV)
— Devotional —
Two hundred years ago, the French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville visited America and made this now-famous observation:
“In America I saw the freest and most enlightened men placed in the happiest condition that exists in the world; it seemed to me that a sort of cloud habitually covered their features; they appeared to me grave and almost sad even in their pleasures…” (Democracy in America).
De Tocqueville had put his finger on something that many of us have experienced ourselves. Ours is a culture is built on the “pursuit of happiness,” comfort, and accumulating material things. And yet, for all our stuff, we are not satisfied. Our hearts remained discontent.
The digital world, where most of us spend a lot of time, is built around increasing our dissatisfaction. These disciple-making platforms form us to think in algorithmically-determined ways:
Instagram: “I want that life”
HGTV: “I want that house”
Pinterest: “I want that wedding”
Cosmo: “I want that body”
Amazon: “I want that now”
WSJ: “I want that portfolio”
YouTube: “I want that ____”
But what we want, above everything else, is:
More.
“The tenth commandment [‘You shall not covet’] forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.”
— Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
In the Bible’s language, this desire for more is called covetousness. Covetousness is misplaced desire; it’s wanting what God hasn’t given to us. Scripture shows us at least three ways this plays out.
Coveting what we should not have. These are sinful things which we desire like Eve in the garden, but which God has explicitly forbidden.
Coveting what we do not (yet) have. These are good things that may or may not be part of our future but, for now, lie beyond our means or opportunity. A new house, a better car, or a spouse (if single). These desires are not sinful; God simply has not met them at this time.
Coveting we cannot have. These are things that belong to someone else. Another person’s job. Their body. Their children’s demeanor. Their successful ministry.
This is where many of us find ourselves in our restless, dissatisfied culture. We spend enormous energy chasing after things God has not appointed for us—and that may not even be good for us. Our culture, and even our economy, is built on feeding this restless instinct.
That is why Jesus warns his disciples, “Be on guard against all covetousness!” Why? Because “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (v15). Implied in Jesus’ warning is a promise:
Another kind of life is available to us.
Life in the kingdom of God is not based on our possessions or wealth. It is not measured in square footage or dollars. It’s not dependent on whether we have succeeded or look good in front of our successful friends. This other kind of life is based squarely on Jesus and all he has done for us. He called it being “rich toward God” (v21).
On that firm foundation of Christ is built a life characterized by an important virtue:
Contentment.
“To be truly happy a man must have sources of gladness which are not dependent on anything in this world.”
— J. C. Ryle
One of the most powerful witnesses to the satisfaction found in Christ is a life marked by contentment.
As the 17th Century Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs once wrote, “to be well skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory, and excellence of a Christian” (The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment).
Instead of fixating on what God has not given us, let’s meditate on what he has given us.
Is it enough?
Are we grateful?
Do we receive it as a gift, something meant to be shared?
Imagine if contentment characterized our lives. While others fret over rising and falling economies, our trust in God’s provision would remain steady. While others chase image and status, we would rest in the knowledge that we are deeply loved by God. Paul even goes so far as to say, “if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6v8). That’s what radical satisfaction looks like.
How do we embrace this kind of contentment? Paul answers simply: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4v13).
— Prayer —
Cultivating contentment is part of the lifelong process of discipleship. Use this prompt as a way of stepping toward satisfaction in God today.
[Pray out loud] Heavenly Father,
Your word tells me that you love me and care for my needs. I believe this and seek to build my life on that foundation. You have always been good and faithful. Satisfy me today with your love.
1. Meditate on God’s generosity toward you.
Make a list—on paper or in your mind—of at least ten things God has graciously given you. As the list grows, more may come to mind; allow them to fill your thoughts. Begin to see just how many ways God has provided for you and gifted you with what you have.
2. Give thanks to the Giver.
Meditating on God’s provision is meant to lead us beyond the gifts to the One who gives them. As Hebrews reminds us, “Be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (13v5). The gifts are meant to point us to the Giver.
Spend some time in unstructured prayer, giving thanks to the Lord. Thank him for what he has given you, then let that gratitude deepen into thankfulness for God himself. Give thanks for his character—his faithfulness, holiness, and majesty. Most of all, give thanks for the ultimate gift of his Son Jesus.
