Contentment is Great Gain

    

    There was at one time an Italian bishop who had been struggling with his health. He had for some time, been struggling with a great amount of pain due to his ailment. Family, friends and those who were close to the bishop knew the amount of pain and struggle it was just to get out of bed. 

    The bishops struggles lasted for year and years. He would labor on each day with the pain and hardships due to his declining health. Those who were around the bishop and knew the struggle he had to endure each and every day were all amazed. Despite all that the bishop had to go through and the vast amount of pain that he had to endure; the bishop always had a positive attitude. In the years that they had watched the bishop day in and day out, not once did the bishop seemed irritated, impatient or depressed. 

    Well one day one of the bishops closest friends asked him "Would you tell me your secret on being content in this life"

    The bishop replied "well sure, I have found that in whatever state that I am in, the first thing I do is look up. I look up to the heavens and remember that all my principal business here is to get up there. Then I will look down to the ground. I look down and and remember how small a place I really occupy in this world and what small place I will occupy when I die. Then I take some time to look around me and I see the vast multitudes in this world who are in all respects more unhappy than myself. "

    "When I do this" the bishop continued, "I learn where true happiness is placed; where all our cares must end; and what little reason I have to complain and be discontent. 

   In the land of the free and home of the brave, with its amber waves of grain, there seems there has been for the past few years a growing discontentment in our culture. Makes no diffrence what side of the political spectrum you align yourself with, neither party seems to be happy. Everywhere you go you can hear people grumbling and complained over the price of gas, or the cost of groceries. You will hear people grumbling over the direction our country is heading. 

    So many times we find our selves discontent over all sorts of different things. We can become frustrated and discontent over our jobs, our financial situations, our health, or even the weather. We share these discomforts with anyone who will listen. We hope and pray that others will feel the same way as we do and will join in our misery and complaints. We sometimes rush to our computers or phones and make post with our complaints, hoping for sympathy, or confirmation.

  Our displeasure can cause us to become frustrated with our current condition. It might lead us to be come angry  and jealous as we look at our situation and the situations of others. We may find our selves growing increasingly greedy, seeking to do whatever it takes for us to finally be content. We can become anxious and worried, as we fear that we might never be happy. Our lack of contentment can lead us down roads of heart ache and pain. It can lead us to a variety of malicious emotions and a melancholy life.

    Amazingly this is not how we as Christians should live out our lives. None of this is something God desires for you and your life. God desires for you is to be content. To live this life with a since of peace joy and happiness. His desire for you is to be overcome with grief, worry, fear or depression. 

   Listen to the instructions Paul gives Timothy;

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is clear that we can carry nothing out. But having food and clothing, we will be content.- (1Ti 6:6-8)

    Paul tells Timothy you came into this world with nothing. So look around you and look at all the things that you own. Look at the food you have, the clothes you wear, the car you drive and the house you live in. None of those things you currently have are things that you brought with you when you were born. Those are blessings from God. God had provided all of those things for you to enjoy. So start enjoying them, and be grateful to God for them. 

    Paul also tells Timothy that we will carry nothing out with us. So all the things that God has provided for you are blessings for you to enjoy today, but they are not meant for you to hold onto forever. You will not be able to take it with you when you die. Live your life holding loosely the blessings that God has given you.

    Paul tells Timothy, "Having food and clothing we will be content. Another words if we have our needs meet we have more than enough reason to be satisfied here in this life. 

    Lets follow that bishops example. Look to the heavens and remember that is where our home is. Look to the earth and remember the end of our selves and look around you and see the many others who are hurting and suffering far greater than you are. Above all remember that because you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you have more than you will ever need.