Contentment in God
RUMC 9/26/10
"How are you today?"
I asked someone that question this week and they said, “Pretty good, under the circumstances.” I wanted to say “I’m sorry you are under the circumstances.” The Lord calls us to be above the circumstances.
What does that mean? To be “above the circumstances.”
First, let me say I am not talking about complacency. I am not talking about being above the circumstances of life by being merely resigned to letting them happen. A complacent baseball player might be one who stands with his hands in his pockets and his glove laying on the ground hoping the ball will fall into the glove. It just doesn’t happen. That is no way to win a ballgame and that is no way to live.
Second, let me say being above the circumstances is not being so self-righteous that we believe the circumstances don’t matter. You have probably heard people say “Give thanks in all things.” That might be a wonderful sense of thanksgiving; but it could also be sticking our nose in the air and saying that what happens does not matter to God or us.
God is actively and intimately involved in the events of this world. God is actively and intimately involved in the events of our lives. Our lives and our problems matter enough to God that God became flesh and dwelt among us, lived, died and was raised for us. Who are we to say that they don’t matter? That is just a smug, self-righteousness.
Third, let me say that I am not talking about denial or repression. I am not talking about going through life with rose colored glasses, assuming that what you don’t see won’t hurt you. That is not really being above the circumstances. Those who deny the harsh realities around themselves; those who act as though the circumstances simply don’t matter, belittle the pain and struggle of others around them as they face these same circumstances.
Finally, I want to say that being above the circumstances is not an approval of the world. Being above the circumstances does not mean that we are satisfied with the circumstances of the world. It does not mean that we are pleased with everything that is happening. Who could be pleased with widespread hunger, wars and hatred? I don’t want us to say that the world is just fine the way it is. Because the truth is… it isn’t.
God would not call us to be complacent, or self righteousness. God does not call us to stick our head in the sand or to be satisfied with all the difficult circumstances that surround us. Yet the author of 1Timothy says “there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment.”
It is the word “contentment” that caught my attention this week. It caught my attention because contentment is so rare in our society. We live in an utterly discontent culture. We are brought up to seek more. More skills, more education, more money, more house, more car, more beauty, more fitness more sex appeal, more …more …more. Enough is never enough.
There is a whole industry built to brainwash us into thinking that what we have is never enough that we need the new shampoo, the better car, the more expensive clothes, the higher paying job. It is called the advertising industry. Their motto should be more …more …more.
Even our economy is built on the premise that we need more. If consumers aren’t buying new and better things then spending is not going up, and we are in a recession. By definition if the economy isn’t growing it is in recession-holding its own is not enough. If heaven forbid we put too much money away in savings, the retailers and economists push the panic button. More …more …more.
Our currency should not be inscribed with “in God we trust.” It should be inscribed with “bigger, better, more.”
Paul, however, rejects that motto. He says there is great gain in Godliness combined with contentment. He continues in the message translation “Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.
But if it's only money (we want, we’ll) self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
Paul says it isn’t about “bigger, better and more.” That just brings all kind of trouble and nothing but trouble. There is, however, great gain in Godliness combined with contentment.
Let’s start with godliness. Not a word we use much. A few verses later Paul writes, 11 But you, man of God, perhaps right there is our definition of Godliness. Godliness is being a person of God. But let’s go on.... But you, Man of God flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
A Godly person, a person of God, then is one whom we would call “faithful.” They turn their back on the greed and one-up-manship of this world. They reject the way everyone else wants them to live. And do what?
· Paul says pursue righteousness -- that is right relationship with God and others.
· Pursue Godlikeness- that is living like God. Pursue faith- that is a deep abiding confidence in God.
· Pursue love- that is the greatest gift.
· Pursue endurance- that is steadfastness- not giving up- not giving in to the pressures of this life.
· And pursue gentleness- that is a quiet tenderness of spirit.
Who does that sound like? Righteous, God-like, faithful, loving, enduring. It sounds like Jesus to me. Jesus is after all the perfect manifestation of God in human skin and bones. I don’t know that I can accomplish that but I pray that my life will be at least a dim reflection of Jesus. That is what I think it means to be Godly. To live our lives as a reflection of the life Jesus gave for us.
· When we live our lives as a reflection of Jesus we experience God’s presence and God’s power in our lives on a daily basis. ..
· When we live Godly lives we experience God’s faithfulness every single day. ..
· When we live Godly lives we practice trust in God every single day. ..
· When we live Godly lives we experience the overpowering love of God each and every day. . .
· When living a godly life become enough for us…
· Because God is enough for us . . . then we experience contentment.
Contentment is not happiness. Happiness has to do with how things are going in our lives. Happiness has to do with having enough things and enough relationships and enough health and enough power inside of us. But what happens when we don’t have enough? What happens when we discover we are alone? What happens when our health fails or we discover that we are powerless? Happiness disappears along with the people and things on which that happiness was based.
Contentment on the other hand is not based on having enough things- I have met people who have virtually nothing who are more content than I can imagine. Contentment is not based on the relationships we have- some of the most content people in Christian history have been monks who go years without human contact. Contentment is not based on the health or the strength in our bodies. I have been deeply moved by the nearly perfect contentment I have occasionally witnessed at the deathbed of a godly man or woman.
Contentment comes from God. Godly contentment comes from the daily experiencing that the presence and power of God is enough for us.
In Philippians Paul writes I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Paul is not bragging. He is being totally truthful. He had been beaten, shipwrecked, jailed and worse—but in all that he says that he has learned contentment. By Godly living, he has learned Godly contentment- By living in God’s ways; we too can be given the gift of Godly contentment.
What makes you most discontent? What makes you most restless or worried? What is it that keeps you up, occupies your mind, or casts a shadow over all of your decisions?
In I Timothy, Paul is talking about being content whether you have many things or just a few.
But I know that some of you struggle with purpose and meaning more than things. “Now that I have retired, now that my children are grown, now that whatever . . . why am I here?” “Why get up in the morning?” “Why draw another breath.” Would you like to live above the circumstances of your life?
I know some of you struggle most with pain or lack of heath. Would you like to live above the circumstances of your physical condition?
I know that some of you struggle most with addictions. Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of your cravings and needs? Wouldn’t you like to live above the agony of loving an addict?
I know that some of you struggle with mental health, like depression and anxiety. Speaking as one of you I would sure like to learn to live above the circumstances of my feelings and fears.
I know that some of you struggle with relationships (with children, siblings, parents, friends and neighbors.) Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of the pain and struggle of those relationships?
I know some of you struggle with the difficulty of finding jobs, the stress of supporting a family, the anxiety of financial preparations for retirement. Some of you struggle with late bills, overdue mortgages, excessive debt, and ravenous credit card companies. Wouldn’t you like to live above the red ink, financial stress and survival mentality?
Some of you struggle with the stress of raising children, providing discipline, guiding friendships, modeling moral values, and teaching life lessons. Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of time outs, broken hearts and your own shortcomings?
You no longer have to live under the circumstances of your life no matter how difficult they may be.
You no longer have to live under the pains, and stresses, and troubles of your life.
You no longer have to live under the values and ideals of this world.
The world says “More, more, more.”
God says “More of me, more of my grace, more of my love.”
The world says “more, bigger, better.”
God says “I am sufficient for you.”
The world says, “Want more, get more, buy more.”
God says, “want me more, love me more, trust me more.”
“There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment.”
Go.
· Wanting God more.
· Trusting God more,
· Loving God more\
AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment