Being Content: A Word Study

Picture by Chloe H. - used with permission. :)

To be content or the state of contentment.

"Contentment is being present and happy where you are right now, acknowledging and being at peace with where God has you, and trusting Him with your past, your present, and your future." - Ann Goering

According to dictionary.com, contentment means "the state of being contented; content; contented; satisfaction; ease of mind."

By digging a little deeper with Noah Webster's original 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, we find:

Content, n.

Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.

Isn't lovely? Don't we all want that in some way or another? Quietness of the mind; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness?

But discontent sneaks into our lives daily. We never have enough - we're always wanting more, needing more, desiring more.

We are told that our lives will be so much easier, better if we only buy or find or get"_______."

We are led to believe that our life isn't good enough as it is.

But it is.

"We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1 Timothy 6:7-8

Look around.

Do we have food, clothing, a place to sleep at night?

It is enough.

Discontentment literally means on dictionary.com "not content or satisfied; dissatisfied; restlessly unhappy."

Honestly, how often do we slip into this state of dissatisfaction and restlessness? More than we'd like to admit, right? ... It's definately true for me!

My goal is to learn to say with Paul "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed of hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

If we challenge ourselves to view our lives through the lense of contentment, how much would our lives change? To be content with what God has given us in every season because "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The world would be a different place.

In Jesus, we can be content.

🩷 Leah Beth