So, I figured this is as good a time as any to begin a conversation about why cultivating contentment is good for the heart. Most of us are already thinking and talking about gratitude with Thanksgiving coming up next week, so this subject is still right in the zone.
Why contentment? Well, I feel like there are some important distinctions to make and as we amp up for all of the holidays it’s important to guard the heart. There can be a whole lot of “Gimme, gimme, gimme…” during this season and it helps to have a strategy to get you through.
The word contentment evokes a picture of satisfaction. There is a profound sense of peace and ease that comes with contentment, because it doesn’t allow anxiety to manipulate its way into soul.
Cultivating contentment is about how you focus on what is good and satisfying in the moment. It trusts and waits, delighting in what is instead of obsessing about some future event or thing.
You have to be present and aware, which opens the door for deep gratitude. I talked a little about that in my last post, so if you missed it you can read more here.
How do you guard the heart and live from that place, actively cultivating contentment, while at the same time anticipating the glory of heaven? Well, I believe you need to have a clear picture of what it means to be content and you need to learn how to recognize the enemies of contentment so you can guard your heart.
Understanding contentment
Let me begin by saying that contentment is not resignation. I think sometimes when we talk about cultivating contentment we assume there isn’t room for passion and desire for anything but what is. You want to be careful not to confuse contentment with self-denial, because there is a difference.
The attitude of contentment works to savor the moment and the thing at hand. It chooses not to focus on what is still needed or maybe even wanted, it simply appreciates the goodness that is.
Being content doesn’t mean you cannot have a desire for more, it just means that you have to appropriate it. Listen, this is very hard to do in a culture which promotes instant gratification. If you want to live with peace you have to walk with contentment.
Contentment is described by dictionary.com as, “the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.”
The contented soul lives from a place of trust and faith, believing God and savoring his infinite goodness—even in the waiting.
Contentment partners with patience and self-control. Yeah, I know, those sometimes feel like tough fruits to harvest, but it’s easier than you think. Holy Spirit is in you and he is the one who produces the fruit, you just need to trust him and choose it. It always comes back to surrender.
The Enemies of Contentment
We live in a fallen world, but we are not abandoned to it. It’s important you get that distinction straight in your mind. Yes, the best is yet to come, but what is present now is not all lost. This life, this world, it’s a gift and the LORD is indeed present, and willing to help you through.
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to disparities. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Do you see it?
Never abandoned by God…
Contentment is an attitude that waits with intentional trust. Resist the temptation to reduce it simply to a feeling, because cultivating contentment takes practice. It is always a choice.
The enemy knows well how to wield dis-content. He knows that discontent heart is easier to rile up and he knows that it breeds disbelief. If he gets you doubting he gets a foot in the door. That’s how it works. So you have to become vigilant about guarding your heart.
I’m sure if we put our heads together we might find more, but I’ve got three enemy tactics that I want to share with you today. I also want to encourage you to broaden your scope of contentment beyond the context of material things. Contentment plays a huge roll in relationships, careers, as well as the things we have: homes, cars, toys, etc.
Lean in and pray as we talk about cultivating contentment. Take time to assess your heart and see if everything is aligned. Take a deep breath and let Holy Spirit lead.
Fear
I believe fear is a pretty misunderstood word for most people. There is a reflex of fear, which is helpful, because it is an indicator. There are some things in life (and I say this with EXTREME CAUTION), which fear can help navigate, but you have to learn how to recognize when fear takes control. Fear should never be given the reigns…
The enemy uses lies to incite fear and then tells more lies to reinforce it. Everyone has a fear they tip-toe around, but I’ve discovered over the years, that not everyone is willing to acknowledge it. Admitting the issue is how you bring the lies into the light. It’s that simple, but not always easy to do.
When the spirit of fear (and that’s what I’m talking about here as opposed to the reflex of fear), is left unchecked, the lies pour in and devour the heart.
Fear manifests through anxiety, manipulation and sometimes even anger. Learn to recognize these symptoms as soon and they start to show up. You see, the enemy will use fear to come against your commitment in cultivating contentment, because it opens the door for so much more.
Greed
Greed is a more obvious enemy of contentment, because it doesn’t hedge its desire. Greed always wants more; it’s not interested in cultivating contentment at all. In fact, greed is the very picture of dis-contentment.
Let me illustrate.
We moved away from our extended family to pursue a ministry calling when our children were still preschool age. You can imagine the challenge.
My husband’s parents love to give. They give time, they give resources, and they love to give gifts. It’s a beautiful expression of love, but just like anything else it can become distorted.
We discovered that our children couldn’t manage the extravagant expression of their grandparents love. Every time they went out together they came home with another little something or other. Maybe you’ve experienced this too?
After a week of this kind of spoiling something would snap. Our family would head back home and we’d be left with two kids who had become openly dissatisfied with everything they had. My husband and I would begin the materialism detox and spiritual re-positioning of their hearts, painstakingly teaching them the value of cultivating contentment.
We are all subject to greed. It’s a mindset.
Greed manifests itself with an overwhelming “need” to have something. You will know it is in play when you begin to manipulate to get more, because nothing satisfies. When greed is left unchecked you will find yourself always running after more.
The lie the enemy uses to tangle you up with this one is: You are not complete without [fill in the blank]. Greed seeks to fill the hole with stuff. It’s idolatry, which comes directly against God. Learn to recognize it in all its forms and cut it off!
Entitlement
Entitlement hinders the commitment of cultivating contentment. Just saying the word makes me cringe, but you know what? We all walk with it at some point or another.
Entitlement is especially ugly because it demands and expects certain benefits. Greed most often affects you desire for things, but entitlement has a way of twisting greed and hijacking how you view everything else too—like relationships.
Contentment surrenders expectations, but entitlement does not. In the context of relationship, entitlement operates from a place of demand, with no boundaries.
Check your heart. Are you demanding with what you expect? Do you ask or do you just plow through fueled with endless assumptions that justify your actions?
Consider how you interact with your loved ones. Ask yourself these hard questions, because this could make the difference.
The symptoms of entitlement can appear similar to those of greed, but it is more than all that. You need to look a little deeper. If you believe you have a right to something, ask yourself why? When you recognize the influences of demand and expectation on your sense of privilege it is probably time to readjust.
Recognize that entitlement is an attitude that assumes you deserve what you want—period. Apply it to material things or people, its ugly either way. Remember that everything you have is a gift from God and needs to be treated accordingly.
Defending contentment
Here’s the thing no one is immune from the enemy’s attack. He doesn’t want you cultivating contentment, because that makes it harder for him to succeed. His goal is always to take you out.
Contentment is actually a powerful tool for you to carry, but you have to learn how to protect it. It’s like having a really great kitchen knife, but not taking care of it. A dull knife is pretty useless and so is a discontent heart.
Understand that you will experience fear, greed, and entitlement. You are not beyond the temptation of sin, so mark out the path you plan to take. Develop a strategy, which helps you to recognize the sin, so you can cut it off. The best way to do that is to fortify your heart with truth.
Sometimes there is a desire to go after the enemy and put him in his place. I hear you, but it’s an unnecessary battle. Jesus has already done the heavy lifting, your job is simply to believe him and stand in agreement with his truth. The only way I know how to do all that is to rehearse the truths of the LORD.
If you want to defend your heart and practice cultivating contentment you have to fix your eyes on Jesus.
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9
Developing disciplines for cultivating contentment
Okay, so here’s the good stuff! These are the practical things you can do as you practice cultivating contentment in your heart.
- Trust the LORD
“Trust the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.” Psalm 37:3
Trust God, because His truth shuts down the voice of the liar. When fear comes at you, grab a hold of the promises of the LORD and stand from a place of belief. Practice trust daily so that your faith muscle develops the strength it needs to hold the ground.
- Give Thanks
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 118:1
Gratitude appropriates the heart and dissolves greed and entitlement. Thanksgiving is a weapon of praise, which God gives to his sons and daughters. God doesn’t tell you to thank him because he is narcissistic; he does it to empower you to break through the oppression of lies. Thanksgiving is the way out!
- Being Present
“Take delight in the LORD and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4
Cultivating contentment means being present and letting go of any pretenses as you approach the LORD. Learn to embrace his grace, looking at him not the circumstances, because he is good and he will come through.
If you can learn to take delight in the LORD in every situation, you will experience fulfillment. That’s what he wants to do.
- Living Simply
We have some great examples of people who demonstrated the discipline of cultivating contentment by living simply. These are among my favorites: The Desert Fathers, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Mother Theresa.
Living simply can be challenging in this culture, but there is such beauty in the process of an uncluttered life.
Guarding Your Heart
So here’s a little something to take with you as you walk toward cultivating contentment.
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” Proverbs 4:23-27
Practice remembering truth. Watch how you talk—tame your tongue by dealing with what’s in the heart. Fix your eyes on the promises of God and stay focused on His infinite goodness toward you.
Give thanks to Him for this moment; the favor of grace. His extravagant love gives you access to all of Him—He himself is a treasure of untapped resource. Press in and receive all He has for you.