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
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take not thought for your life, what ye shall eat, nor for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Take not therefore thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for itself: sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.
By whom also we have been introduced through faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
But godliness with content is great gain.
Let your disposition be without covetousness: be content with the things that are present; for he hath said, No, I will not leave thee: verily I will not forsake thee.
For where bitter zeal and strife is, there is unquietness and every evil work.
By which he hath given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these, having escaped the corruption which is in the world thro' desire, ye may become partakers of the divine nature:
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
Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break thro' and steal:
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take not thought for your life, what ye shall eat, nor for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the birds of the air: they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. read more. Are ye not much better than they? And which of you by taking thought can add to his age the smallest measure? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now: if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the still, will he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take not thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? (For after all these things do the heathens seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye need all these things, But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
And he said to them, Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable to them, read more. saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he reasoned in himself, saying, What shall I do? For I have no room where to stow my fruits. And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns and build greater; and there will I stow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: and whose shall the things be that thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
What shall we say then? That the law is sin? God forbid. Yea, I should not have known sin, but for the law. I had not known lust, unless the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may rest upon me.
Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound, every where and in every thing I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to want. read more. I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.
I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.
Having then food and covering, with these let us be content.
Let your disposition be without covetousness: be content with the things that are present; for he hath said, No, I will not leave thee: verily I will not forsake thee.