Yesterday morning’s verse of the day was Hebrews 13:5. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
At first glance, I immediately became disappointed because I am believing God for some things. Telling me to be content with such things as I have, is to take away my hope for the things I’m believing God for. I want to remain somewhat dissatisfied with the status quo so that I will be motivated to pray often about it. I thought this directive to be content must have some other meaning because I don’t want to give up on the things I’m asking God for and I will not be content to never see them come to pass. God made promises and they will manifest because His word shall not return to Him void, but they shall accomplish what He pleases and prosper in the thing for which He sent it (Isa. 55:11).
I don’t believe our Heavenly Father expects us to be content suffering continuously from lack, with a sincere desire for life improvement strumming in our hearts. Would you tell a slave that is being horribly mistreated to be content with such things? I think not. Scripture supports that He is able to do super abundantly, far over and above all that we dare to ask or think (Eph. 3:20). For me to suffer from need without necessary provisions is like forcing the child of a very wealthy king to live contentedly as a pauper, while the royal king himself lives abundantly. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
God’s love for us has no limits nor restrictions. He loves us even if we’re prodigals, or hard-headed, or carnal-minded, or wayward, or bashful, or high-minded, or gutter-minded. We are loved! God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
And God is able to make all His grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2Corin. 9:8).
He came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
Money and resources are necessary components of life and can be properly used and enjoyed without an increase in greed and sin consciousness. I believe the contentment spoken of in the verse of the day is in regard to greed and a misuse of God’s resources.
An unhealthy desire for wealth has led to the ruin of many lives. An unhealthy obsession with money is closely related to discontentment. He who loves abundance will not be satisfied with increase. Enough won’t ever be enough for them. He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity [a vain life] (Eccl. 5:10).
Better is the sight of the eyes [contentment] than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind (Eccl. 6:9).
The apostle Paul said that God had taught him how to live abased, and how to live aboundingly. He had learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound in one area and to suffer need in another (Phil 4:12). However, though Paul suffered need for a period of time, it is not inappropriate to believe that God will improve our situations when we need Him to.
Brian Courtney Wilson sings a song that says, “Teach me how to receive every blessing.” We don’t have to be afraid that we might not act right when we come into blessings because God will teach us how to walk in it. His grace is sufficient, and His strength and power is made perfect in our weaknesses and frailties (2Corin 12:9).
The psalmist David said, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want [or suffer lack] (Psalm 23:1).
Contentment is more than just a state of acceptance and satisfaction. Contentment is simply not falling into greediness, and covetousness, and carnality, and the love of money which is the root of all kinds of evil (1Tim. 3:3). Just because Heavenly Father is able to bless abundantly does not mean we have to live extravagantly. However, we don’t have to live as paupers either.
We should be thankful for what we do have, and full of hope that the perfect will of God, and His desire for us will be made manifest in our lives. Express thankfulness to God for His daily bread (provision), and remember that He is not offended because we ask Him for things.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart (Psalm 37:4 Amplified Bible).