“Now Godliness with contentment is great gain”! (1 Timothy 6:6). What a exciting verse! If God had promised great gain, we can rest assured it is better than we could ever imagine! He himself saw that contentment, with Godliness, was great gain. Godliness without contentment may be gain, but why settle for less that God's best?
Of course the paragraph I just wrote makes contentment sound like a easy thing that you can turn off and on like a light switch, but it goes much deeper than that. I realize that most of it is indeed by choice, you can choose to look at your current setting from a pessimistic view. You do have to choose to view all things working together for good. (Romans 8:28) I am currently sitting at a coffee shop early in the morning. There is a wide range of customers coming in the door getting their morning boost. Some of them are bright and cheery, others barely say a word as they put cream in their coffee. Some are obviously happy with were they are at, other are not so happy, or at least neutral (not content). Did some just wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Did some choose to be happy? In Philippians 4:11 the apostle Paul says he learned how to be content. “For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” He had to learn it! He didn't say “In whatever state I am I choose to be content”, he said he learned it. Maybe you wish you were content with were God has you, but just can't flip that content switch on, don't feel bad. You may have to struggle with it, and learn it(and want it). But when you find it, you will find great gain!
I know I've said it before but do you realize that God loves you more than you love yourself? His love for you wants what is absolutely best for you. Maybe God has you were your at because it has such a huge blessing that it doesn't even compare to were you want to be! I said maybe, but their really is no doubt in my mind. If it weren't that way, then God would have you somewhere else, he promised in His word! We really don't know for sure the reason , it may be just to teach us contentment so we can reach great gain, but we know it is best!
I heard a saying once what really affected me. “It is easier to change your actions to change your heart, than it is to change your heart to change your actions”. You may have to read that again to let it sink in. Are your actions telling to world, “God loves me and I am happy about what He is doing?” Just a few verses before Philippians 4:11 (were Paul says he learned to be content) He said, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be anything praiseworthy – meditate on those things”! Do you want to be content? You are going to have to seek God, ask Him to teach you! And look for the best in what you don't like. If your earnest, God will change your heart, and then when he chooses to move you on, you will miss were you are now. Are you willing to find great gain? I guarantee it will be a bigger blessing than what you are wanting.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalms 37:4)
