The Lost Art of Contentment

The Lost Art of Contentment
Today’s reading: Psalm 125-129
Ps. 128, “How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you.”
Jeremiah Burroughs, in his Christian classic, *The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment*, writes, “Oh, that we could but convince men and women that murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!” It is one thing to be content when life is going well and our earthly desires are fulfilled, but how difficult it is to be genuinely content when the clouds grow dark, and our desires are stripped away.

Psalm 128 describes a person who is genuinely content. They are satisfied with the fruits of their labor. Instead of their job being a burden and a source of continual frustration, they derive enjoyment from the benefits of their efforts. If we have not learned to be content in our present job, we will not find contentment by embarking on an endless search for a better job. Contentment does not come from external circumstances, but from our attitude and perspective within.  

Not only is the psalmist content with his labor, but he also finds joy in his marriage and family. In the previous Psalm, the psalmist celebrates the joy of family. Children are a gift from God and should be celebrated rather than seen as a burden to be endured or resented. In our culture, we see an aversion to the family. The pursuit of careers is prioritized over the value of family. However, a person who is genuinely content in life finds contentment with his wife and children. Instead of seeing them as an albatross around their neck, hindering them in their pursuit of the American dream, they are regarded as a blessing given by God.

But this brings us to the heart of contentment. For the psalmist, contentment does not come from his circumstances; contentment comes from our fear of God and our trust in Him (Psal 28:1-2). When a person has a right relationship with God and is focused on obeying God in every situation, he finds the key to genuine and lasting contentment. Burroughs goes on to state, “My brethren, the reason why you do not have contentment in the things of the world is not that you do not have enough of them. The reason is that they are not things proportional to that immortal soul of yours that is capable of God Himself.” In other words, genuine contentment only comes when our focus is upon God and what He has given us in our salvation and our relationship with Him. If we find ourselves continually longing for something more, the answer does not lie in the pursuit of more pleasure, wealth, or achievements. It is found only in our relationship with God. The things of our world continually promise contentment, but they never deliver. God gives us contentment when He becomes the sole object of our life. This happens when our focus shifts from the circumstances of life to the promises and presence of God. Burroughs challenges us to change our perspective when he writes, “Thus a godly man wonders at his cross that it is not more, a wicked man wonders his cross is so much.” The reason for the difference is that the godly look at what God has done, while the wicked only look at what he desires.

The only desire that will give lasting contentment is the desire for God, for we were created to be in a relationship with Him. Contentment and happiness in life are not dependent on our circumstances, but rather on our relationship with God. When we find ourselves unhappy and unsatisfied with our present circumstances and situation in life, the answer is not a change in our job, residence, or circumstances. The answer lies in a shift in our focus. Contentment comes only when God becomes our desire rather than the things of this world.