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).
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For this cause I tell you, Be not anxious about your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life of more value than meat, and the body than raiment?
Be not therefore anxious about to-morrow: for tomorrow will provide for its own wants. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.
by whom also we have had an introduction through faith into this grace in which we have stood fast, and are rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Let the tenor of your life be divested of the love of money; content with your present possessions: for he hath said, "I will in no wise leave thee, neither will I in any case forsake thee."
For where envy and contention dwell, there is tumult and every vile deed.
whereby superlatively great and precious promises are freely given to us: that by these ye might become partakers of a divine nature, having fled far away from the corruption that is in the world through inordinate concupiscence.??5 And for this very purpose employing the greatest diligence, lead up in the train of your faith courage; and with courage intelligence;
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
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Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where the rust and canker spoil, and where thieves dig through and steal:
For this cause I tell you, Be not anxious about your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life of more value than meat, and the body than raiment? Look on the birds of the air: for they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not of more value than they? read more. But which of you, by his cares, can add one cubit to his stature? And why are ye anxious about clothing? Contemplate the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, nor spin: yet I tell you, Not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If God then so clothe a vegetable of the field, which to-day is, [in beauty], and tomorrow is cast into the furnace, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Wherefore be under no anxiety, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? (for after all these things the heathen seek:) and your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of them all. But seek ye, in the first place, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be given you over.
Then said he to them, Beware, and be on your guard against covetousness; for a man's life doth not depend on the abundance of his possessions. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The estate of a certain rich man bore plentifully: read more. and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? for I have not room where I may house my crops. And he said, I will do this; I will take down my barns, and build them larger, and collect there all my crops, and my good things! And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast a multitude of good things in store for many years, be at ease, eat, drink, and be merry! But God said to him, Thou fool! this night shall they demand thy life from thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? Just such is every one who heapeth up treasure for self, and is not rich towards God.
What then shall we say? Is the law sin? God forbid. Yea, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not even known concupiscence, unless the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may fix its residence in me.
Not that I mention this with a view to my indigence: for I have learned in whatever circumstances I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in every state and in all situations I am instructed either to be full or famishing, either to enjoy abundance, or to suffer want: read more. I am enabled for all things by Christ who strengtheneth me.
I am enabled for all things by Christ who strengtheneth me.
Let the tenor of your life be divested of the love of money; content with your present possessions: for he hath said, "I will in no wise leave thee, neither will I in any case forsake thee."