The Elusiveness of Contentment in Living Life.



Some people tie contentment to the stuff that can be accomplished or attained as they climb the ladder of success. The more success is attained the more stuff that can be attained. If I had that vocation...I would be content, if I could make 100,000 dollars a year...I would be content, if I could have that woman or that man...I would be content, if I could live in the influential part of town...I would be content, and the “if I's” go on and on. Even though the pursuit of contentment, peace and happiness is God given and is not wrong, the object of acquiring that contentment can be wrong depending on how and what we do to gain that contentment. Contentment eludes us because we search for wrong stuff to bring contentment as well we search for it in the wrong places, thus we become disillusioned with life.


Contentment in life is not found in things and nothing will bring contentment unless it is first found in our relationship with God. God wants people to be content, happy and full of joy, but the reality of contentment is found in the good news of God's grace that is found in Jesus Christ. When our contentment is found in Him we will be content in whatever situation we may find ourselves in.
The gospel is good news, not bad news, not threatening news, It is not punishment news, it is not fear-mongering news, it is not you live under a curse news, it is not hellfire-and brimstone news! It is good news, exhilarating news, it is not disappointing news, it is freedom from bondage news. It is a contentment bringing news!


True contentment is not in our doing things to make us happy, contentment is found in the knowledge and understanding of the grace gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus was a contented and happy person.


Have you ever wondered why religion paints Jesus looking so somber and smile-less. Why is he captured as a stressed out, spaced out joyless person, when He is nothing like that. Do you think that kids would have been attracted to and want to hang around with Jesus if He was a unsmiling, grumpy and expressionless man. Is that the kind of person that care-free happy, playful and fun loving kids want to be around. Off course not! I mean, there were so many kids wanting to hang around with Jesus that His disciples felt they had to put a stop to it.


Jesus was a happy, smiling, laughing, joyful and contented person. Just read what Hebrews 1:9 says of Him. “...God your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” Jesus was the happiest guy around.


Contentment is a natural result of of knowing God and experiencing His love and grace and being in relationship with Him through Jesus' accomplishment and finished work of the cross.









Comments

  1. Hubert MoulandMay 25, 2014 at 9:08 PM

    You say and I quote: The gospel is good news, not bad news, not threatening news, It is not punishment news, it is not fear-mongering news, it is not you live under a curse news, it is not hellfire-and brimstone news! It is good news, exhilarating news, it is not disappointing news, it is freedom from bondage news. It is a contentment bringing news!

    The Gospel that Christ preached is quite different than what we hear in many churches today. What was the Gospel that Christ preached? It was, “Repent or Perish”. He didn`t always preach repentance. For the Scripture says in Matt.4: 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was only after His experience in the wilderness when he was tempted of devil that He started His repentance message warning people about the horror`s of hell.

    One other thing I noticed about the Gospel that Christ preached, unlike the modern day gospel that doesn`t put any demands on people is that Christ was always putting demands on people. As a result of this modern day gospel we have churches filled with pew warmers instead of disciples.

    Another thing I`ved noticed is that Christ always mixed His demands with grace. Even though Christ was loving, He was also compelling and demanding.

    What are some of His radical demands?
    He demanded of rich young ruler that he sell all that he hath and distribute his stuff to poor if he wanted to be a follower of Christ but the man went away sorrowful. Christ didn`t always make people happy. (Luke18:22)

    He also demanded that if any one would follow Him they have to forsake all that they had. (Luke 14:33)

    On another occasion Christ wouldn`t give a disciple permission to go and bury his father. (Matt.8:22)

    Another demand of Christ if a person wanted to be His follower was to deny self, take up his cross and be willing to lose your life.(Matt.16:24-26)

    In the Sermon on Mount which many grace preachers say doesn`t apply to us today Christ demanded quite a few things. For instance in order for us to be great we have to be a servant, in order for us to be first we have to be last and in order to exalted we have to humble ourselves.

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