contentment

Today, I'm at work and it is stressful. My boss was asking for a lot of things, I have personal matters on my mind, and things just continue to happen that I do not wish. It is at this point that contentment settles me.

Here's what I'm not going to talk about: meditation. Not some weird form of spirituality that seems new and interesting. Just contentment. I'll define it here and we'll take a little walk after that. Here's how I define contentment:

contentment is embracing the moment as it is without desiring anything more while embracing change in any form at the same.

Before you allow your jaw to drop because this sounds so profound, let me find the same concept.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For 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 1:6-8

Most of us aren't this person. Instead, we tend to be these people:

Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see.

-- Deuteronomy 28:64-67 (italics mine)

This is among a list of curses that God declared He would bring down on the Israelites for disobeying Him. Some of this doesn't apply to use every day. We probably won't be chased down by sword-wielding enemy "ites" of any kind. We're already global and so scattering among the nations isn't that bad, but what about the constant upset and discontent.

Sometimes, discontent is not divine.

The idea of it being a curse should be startling enough to anyone that constantly finds themselves in a state of wishing they were doing/being something/someone/somewhere other than "here".

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

-- Philippians 4:12-13

Let me blow your mind: from the way this is written, Paul sees his ability to be content as part of the strength of Christ Himself. Consider that for a moment: contentment - the ability to take whatever is in the current moment and circumstances and desire nothing further - is a God-given gift.

This should be both relief and warning to most of us. How many times have we wanted what someone else has? Want to do what someone else does? What to have more money? More things? More time? More of anything?

By contrast, how many times have you been able to be where you are and be content to be there without complaining or longing for something to change because you were bored?

I'm not saying we can't have desires. I'm not saying that you can't have a dream or a passion that drives you. I'm not saying that you should be satisfied with things and not strive for improvement or become complacent.

What I am saying is that maybe in our effort to live our lives for God, we should more fully enjoy the peace that He's left with us and be content with the moment by moment wonder of simply being alive to love and be loved.

I'll give you an example: yesterday, I was trying to scan some things with a machine. I had to enter info a bunch of times which means a lot of typing and typing and typing and typing and just before getting annoyed with the wait, I thought about the amazingness of that machine; I can take a physical item, push a few buttons and it is turned into an exact copy of that physical item in a non-physical form that I can then copy and send to people all over the world at the same time and it costs me nothing to do it.

Wow.

BIG difference of perspective. It went by a lot faster and was even enjoyable.

Life is amazing.

Take a look around and revel in that.

Be grateful for that.

Be content with that.