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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On this account I tell you, be not anxious for your soul, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on, is not the soul more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Be not anxious, therefore, for to-morrow, for to-morrow will be anxious for its; sufficient for the day is its evil.
through whom also we have been introduced into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Neither do you complain as some of them complained and were destroyed by the destroyer.
But piety with contentment is great gain.
Let your life be without avarice, and be contented with what you have; for he said, I will never leave you, I will never forsake you;
For where envy and strife are, there are disorder and every evil work.
through which have been given us very great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption which is in the world by inordinate desire,
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 on the earth, where a moth and corrosion destroy, and where thieves dig through and steal.
On this account I tell you, be not anxious for your soul, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on, is not the soul more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of heaven; they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into store-houses; but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? read more. Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? And why are you anxious concerning clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they perform no hard labor, neither do they spin; but I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. And if God so clothes the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, men of little faith? Be not anxious, therefore, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or with what shall we be clothed? For after all these things the gentiles seek; and your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first righteousness and his kingdom, and all these things shall be added to you.
And he said to them, See, and beware of all covetousness; for one's life depends not on the abundance of his property. And he told them a parable, saying, The farm of a certain rich man produced abundantly; read more. and he reasoned in himself, saying, What shall I do, for I have no place where I shall bring together my fruits? And he said, I will do this; I will take down my storehouses and build greater; and there will I bring together all my produce and my goods; and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years rest, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. But God said to him, Foolish man, this night they shall require your soul from you; and who then will have the goods which you have provided? So is every one that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich in God.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means. On the contrary I knew not sin except through the law; for I had not known inordinate desire, unless the law had said, You shall not desire inordinately.
And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you; for power is perfected in weakness.
Not that I speak of want; for I have learned in whatever circumstances I am to be contented. I know both how to be humbled, and I know how to abound; in every thing and in all conditions I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer want. read more. I endure all things with him that strengthens me.
I endure all things with him that strengthens me.
Let your life be without avarice, and be contented with what you have; for he said, I will never leave you, I will never forsake you;