Despite the fact that we enjoyed August, we know that we still struggle with contentment. We don’t think we’re alone in this. We want more, better, different.
Contentment sometimes has a negative connotation. It can evoke feelings of settling, of no longer striving. That’s not what we want. We should always be discontent in our sin. We should always strive to be more like Jesus.
In becoming like Jesus, we will learn to be content with what we have. God calls us to be content in Him, to no longer strive to have more, better, different.
The verse we want to memorize and focus on this month is in Hebrews 13. This section is labeled, “Final Exhortations” in the HCSB. We like the rhythm, as if the writer is thinking of all the last minute things he needs to say before sealing the envelope. Remember this! Oh, and don’t forget to …! His final thoughts include “Let brotherly love continue” (v. 1) and “Marriage must be respected by all” (v. 4).
The verse we want to focus on is found in this list. Verse 5 says:
Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.
Be satisfied—be content—because He is with you. We can be content, free from the love of money, the striving for more, better, different, because He is with us. What more do we need? In fact, the very next verse says, “Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Discontentment stems from fear. We fear that what we have won’t be enough; that we won’t measure up; that we (or our things) aren’t good enough. The truth is, we don’t measure up. What we have isn’t enough. We will never be good enough. But Jesus is with us. His righteousness is enough. He measures up to perfect standards. He is good. If we are believers, we are justified through our faith in Him, the One who will never leave us or forsake us. What can man do to us?
We no longer have to be discontent. We no longer have to fear that we don’t have enough followers, enough money, enough things. We can be satisfied with what we have.
This month, we’re going to meditate on that promise. We’ll work to memorize Hebrews 13:5 and internalize the truth that Jesus is all we ever need and He is always with us.
We’d love to see what God is showing you about contentment on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #PrayersFor2016 to share! We’ve also included some wallpapers and art below. Just right click or tap and hold to download (sometimes it takes a couple of tries).
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