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
therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than raiment?
Be not therefore sollicitous about the morrow; for the morrow will require thought for its own affairs: sufficient to each day is its own trouble.
through whom also we have admission by faith into this grace in which we stand, and boast in hope of the glory of God.
as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Let your conversation be free from covetousness, and be contented with what ye have: for He hath said, I will not leave thee; I will never, never forsake thee.
for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
by which are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye may become partakers of a divine nature, having 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
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupts, and where thieves break through and steal:
therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than raiment? Look at the birds of the air; they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: and yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye preferable to them? read more. And which of you by all his thought can add one cubit to his stature? And why are ye sollicitous about raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I tell 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 is growing to-day, and to-morrow is cast into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or how shall we be clothed? (things which the heathens are so inquisitive after) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these shall be superadded unto you.
And He said unto them, See to it that ye beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of his possessions. And He spake a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: read more. and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do? for I have not room to lay up my corn. And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will bestow all my products and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast plenty of goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that heapeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.
What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid! Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust to be sinful, if the law had not said, "Thou shalt not covet."
And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is manifested in thy weakness." With the greatest pleasure therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Not that I speak on account of want; for I have learnt in whatever circumstances I am, to be contented. I know both how to be abased, and how to abound: in every place, and in all conditions I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to be in want. read more. I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.
I can do all things through Christ strengthening me.
Let your conversation be free from covetousness, and be contented with what ye have: for He hath said, I will not leave thee; I will never, never forsake thee.