Reference: Contentment
Easton
(1) a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1Ti 6:6; 2Co 9:8). It is opposed to envy (Jas 3:16), avarice (Heb 13:5), ambition (Pr 13:10), anxiety (Mt 6:25,34), and repining (1Co 10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine providence (Ps 96:1-2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2Pe 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Ge 32:10); as well as from the view the gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Ro 5:2).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
I am too small for all the lovingkindnesses and for all the faithfulness, which thou hast done unto thy servant, - For with my staff, passed I over this Jordan, But, now, have I become two camps.
Sing to Yahweh, a song that is new, Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; Sing to Yahweh, bless ye his Name, - Tell the tidings, from day to day, of his salvation:
Only by pride, doth one cause contention, but, with the well-advised, is wisdom.
For this cause, I say unto you: Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, - or for your body, what ye shall put on: Is not, the life, more than, the food? And, the body, than, the raiment?
Do not, then, be anxious for the morrow; for the morrow, will be anxious, for itself: Sufficient for the day, is the evil thereof.
Through whom also we have had, our introduction, by our faithinto this favour wherein we stand; and let us boast in hope of the glory of God.
Neither be ye murmuring, even, as some of them, murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
Now it is a great means of gain - godliness, with a sufficiency of ones own;
Without fondness for money, be your way of life, - being content with the present things, - for, he, hath said: In nowise, thee, will I leave, no indeed! in nowise, thee, will I forsake:
For, where jealousy and rivalry are, there, are anarchy and every ignoble deed.
Through which, his precious, and very great, promises, have, unto us, been given, in order that, through these, ye might become sharers in a divine nature - escaping the corruption that is in the world by coveting.
Hastings
1. The word does not occur in the OT, but the duty is implied in the Tenth Commandment (Ex 20:17), and the wisdom of contentment is enforced in Pr 15:17; 17:1 by the consideration that those who seem most enviable may, be worse off than ourselves. But the bare commandment 'Thou shalt not covet' may only stir up all manner of coveting (Ro 7:7 f.); and though a man may sometimes be reconciled to his lot by recognizing a principle of compensation in human life, that principle is far from applying to every case. It is not by measuring ourselves with one another, but only by consciously setting ourselves in the Divine presence, that true contentment can ever be attained. Faith in God is its living root (cf. Ps 16:6 with Ps 16:5; also Hab 3:17 f.).
2. In the NT the grace of contentment is expressly brought before us. Our Lord inculcated it negatively by His warnings against covetousness (Lu 12:15-21), positively by His teaching as to the Fatherhood of God (Mt 6:25-32 ||) and the Kingdom of God (Mt 6:33, cf. Mt 6:19 f.). St. Paul (Php 4:11-13) claims to have 'learned the secret' of being content in whatsoever state he was. The word he uses is autark
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Thou shalt not covet, thy neighbours house, - thou shalt not covet, thy neighbour's wife nor his servant nor his handmaid nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything which belongeth unto thy neighbour.
Yahweh, is mine allotted portion and my cup, Thou, art maintaining my lot. The lines, have fallen unto me, in pleasant places, Verily an inheritance that delighteth me.
Better is an allowance of herbs, and love, there, than a fatted ox, and hatred therewith.
Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
Though, the fig-tree, should not blossom, and there be no sprouting in the vines, the yield of the olive, should have deceived, and, the fields, not have brought forth food, - the flock, have been consumed out of the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls,
Be not laying up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where, moth and rust, do tarnish, and where, thieves, dig through and steal;
For this cause, I say unto you: Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, - or for your body, what ye shall put on: Is not, the life, more than, the food? And, the body, than, the raiment? Observe intently, the birds of the heaven, - that they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet, your heavenly Father, feedeth, them: Are no, ye, much better than, they? read more. But who from among you, being anxious, can add to his stature one cubit? And, about clothing, why are ye anxious? Consider well the lilies of the field, how they grow, - they toil not neither do they spin; And yet, I say unto you, not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed like, one of these! Now, if the grass of the field - which to-day, is, and, to-morrow, into an oven, is cast - God thus adorneth, not much rather, you, little of faith? Do not then be anxious saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be arrayed? For, all these things, the nations, seek after, - for your heavenly Father, knoweth, that ye are needing, all these things. But be seeking first, the kingdom and its righteousness, - and, all these things, shall be added unto you.
And he said unto them - Mind and be guarding yourselves from all covetousness; for not, in one's abundance, doth his life spring out of his possessions. And he spake a parable unto them, saying - A certain rich man's estate, bare well. read more. And he began to deliberate within himself, saying - What shall I do? because I have not where I can gather my fruits. And he said - This, will I do, - I will pull down my barns, and, greater ones, build, and gather, there, all my wheat and good things; and will say to my soul - Soul! thou hast many good things lying by for many years: be taking thy rest, eat, drink,be making merry! But God said unto him - Simple one! on this very night, they are asking, thy soul, from thee; The things, then, which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? So, is he that is laying up treasure for himself, and is not rich, towards God.
What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! On the contrary, I had not discovered, sin, save through law, for even, of coveting, I had not been aware if, the law, had not kept on saying - Thou shall not covet;
And at once he said unto me - Sufficient for thee, is my favour, for, my power, in weakness, is made complete. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may spread a tent over me.
Not that, as to coming short, I am speaking, for, I, have learned, in whatsoever circumstances I am, to be, independent: I know what it is even to be kept low, and I know what it is to have more than enough, - in every way, and in all things, have I been let into the secret - both to be well fed, and to be hungering, both to have more than enough, and to be coming short: read more. I have might, for all things, in him that empowereth me.
I have might, for all things, in him that empowereth me.
Without fondness for money, be your way of life, - being content with the present things, - for, he, hath said: In nowise, thee, will I leave, no indeed! in nowise, thee, will I forsake: