Seasonal Contentment

Written by Greg Gifford| Associate Pastor of Counseling and Life Groups

Hi Faith Community,

As we are gearing up for the holidays, life can tug at us. Thanksgiving for some brings a desire to be home, for others to be out of the home, and, for some, we miss family that won’t be with us this year. In all honesty, we enjoy a few days off of work, but we are not gushing with “Thanksgiving” and maybe not even thankful at all. Have you thought of how contentment feeds thanksgiving?

The Philippians cared enough for Paul to send Epaphroditus to visit him in Rome, where Paul was imprisoned (Phil. 2:25-26). Paul tells the Philippians that, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (ESV). He’s thankful Epaphroditus came to visit, even that he brought a gift to Paul; but Paul is quite content. He’s learned this.

Let me share with you a definition of contentment that comes from Jeremiah Burroughs:

Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition (The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, 19).

“Delights in God’s wise and father disposal”? The result of contentment isn’t that you are “grinning and bearing with” God’s will, but that you are thankful for it. The truly content person is thankful for the will of God.

How do you cultivate being a content person? By being faithful in your current circumstances. Burroughs says that to be a content person, you must “set your heart to work in the duties of the immediate circumstances that you are now in” (52). That’s it. Do you want to grow in thankfulness? Put off thoughts of “life would be better if” and put on thoughts of how God has you exactly where you are.

Learn to do what God has called you to do, and delight will follow.

This Thanksgiving, cultivate faithfulness where God has planted you. Yes, some of you have jobs that are difficult. You currently have a wayward child. Your health is a daily struggle. Or you are plagued by regret in some way. Remember to be faithful where God has you. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23).

This year, enter into the Thanksgiving season with faithfulness by choosing to be content.  You’ll find that your personal thankfulness will only grow because faithfulness fuels contentment, and contentment fuels thankfulness.

Striving for Thankfulness with You,