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 reason I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, inquiring what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, inquiring what you shall wear. Is not your life more than its food, and your body than its clothing?
"Do not then be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own anxieties. Enough for each day are its own troubles."
Through him also we have had our access into this grace in which we have taken our stand, and are exulting in hope of the glory of God.
nor murmur, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the Destroying Angel.
Now godliness with contentment is truly gainful;
Let your life be untainted by love of money; be content with such things as you have; for God himself has said, I will never leave thee; I will never forsake thee.
For wherever jealousy and faction exist, there is confusion and every evil deed.
By these he has granted his promises to us, precious and splendid; so that through them you may become partners of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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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"Store up for yourselves no treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;
"For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, inquiring what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, inquiring what you shall wear. Is not your life more than its food, and your body than its clothing? "Behold! the birds in the sky! They neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them; and are not you worth more than they? read more. "Which one of you by being anxious is able to add even one cubit to his stature? "Why be anxious then about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin. "But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was robed like one of these. "If God then so clothes the grass of the field, which blooms today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? "Then do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'" "For all these are things that the Gentiles are eagerly seeking; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of them all. "But continue to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
And to the people he said, "Take heed and guard yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses." Then he spoke to them in a parable. "The ground of a certain rich man bore heavy crops. read more. "So he debated with himself saying, 'What shall I do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.' "And he said to himself. 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones in which I will store all my wheat and my goods. "'And I will say to my soul, "'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years! Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' "But God said to him. 'Foolish man! This very night your soul is wanted! And these things you have prepared, whose shall they be? "So is he that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God."
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not. On the contrary I should not have become acquainted with sin had it not been for the Law; for except the Law had repeatedly said, "Thou shalt not lust," I should never have known the sin of lust.
but he has answered me. "My grace is sufficient for you; it is in weakness that my power is perfected."
Not that I speak as if I were in want, for at least have learned how to be content, whatever happens. I know how to live humbly, and I also know how to bear prosperity. In every place and under all circumstances I have been initiated into the secret of fulness and of hunger, of prosperity and of want. read more. I am strong for everything in Him who gives me strength.
I am strong for everything in Him who gives me strength.
So if we have food and shelter, let us be content with that.
Let your life be untainted by love of money; be content with such things as you have; for God himself has said, I will never leave thee; I will never forsake thee.