“People will never stop dying and being destroyed, and they will never stop wanting more than they have.” (Proverbs 27:20)
The Bible does not speak favorably on discontentment with the exception of avoiding becoming complacent and satisfied with one’s spiritual growth!
Discontentment can be found lurking in our hearts and it is so dangerous. Failure to recognize the root of being discontent is equal to limiting your own ability to grow more like Christ and more pleasing to the Father, which must be our aim and desire.
The example of the Israelites being delivered by God from centuries of Egyptian bondage and heading for the Land of Canaan sheds light on just how ungrateful God’s creation, “made in His likeness”, can become. Time and again His people exhibited unhappiness and discontent with the way God was helping them.
God’s people back so long ago didn’t have to be that way and neither do we! Life is not free of problems and circumstances that challenge us, but God’s blessings are all around us. Are we satisfied? Are we content with all that He has provided?
As the New Testament reminds us, these lessons that have been preserved by the Spirit of God are intended to help keep us from re-enacting the same mistakes. (1 Corinthians 10:6-10). Yet, we do it anyway.
Ever watched kids opening presents and noticed that they appear to be ungrateful and looking for the next package to unwrap? We have all seen that expression that says, ‘that’s not what I thought it was going to be’ or ‘that’s not what I wanted.’
There are times when we choose to think more about what we don’t have than what we do have. We have all been blessed more abundantly than any of us deserves, yet mankind is continually looking for the proverbial ‘fountain of youth,’ for longer lives and the acquisition of more stuff.
Our loving and caring Heavenly Father is forever mindful of our needs! Our loving and caring Heavenly Father is faithful; we simply must learn to place our trust in Him. If I choose to fill my heart up with knowledge and love for the Lord and His ways, then I will be able to face any obstacle, situation, set-back or disappointment and be victorious!
May we be sufficiently warned that the temptation to sin in all aspects of our lives usually begins with the heart being unhappy, with where we might be in life or what we don’t possess. May we more fully realize that sinful actions start with ungrateful and ungodly thoughts and attitudes. Yes, Solomon was spot on when he wrote by inspiration, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
Armed with faith and trust in Jehovah God, we will not find ourselves at the mercy of every new difficulty. Dwell no longer in the land of discontent, but ‘camp out’ in the land of contentment found in worshipping and faithfully serving the Lord.
“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
PS: How’s your daily Bible reading, studying and meditating going?
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