Imagine you have a lazy boy chair at home with an awesome cup holder and the push out foot rest. The chair is worn in nicely and even contours perfectly to your butt. You are so content with your coke in hand as you watch your Tv. Nothing is getting you out of that chair. God says “it’s time to go out and tell somebody about jesus” but you have become complacent and immovable in your contentment.
CONTENTMENT Desiring no more than what one has; satisfied. – however this can breed complacency and apathy.
Our imbalanced contentment becomes a justification for not being concerned about the lost.
Are you that person?
Maybe you are sitting in that chair and it is a nice chair, but you just can’t ever get comfortable. God hears your grumbling and instead of bringing judgement on you He gives mercy and grace. God supplies you with a brand new leather chair with a built in iPad! You sit in it and love it for about a week. You begin to complain and grumble again.
“There is no cup holder in this one and I want the old one back!”
God says, “tell somebody about Jesus” but you can’t hear him because you are too busy not recognizing that you are where God wants you and you would rather complain. Are you that person?
DISCONTENTMENT: Unhappy with everything – breeds contention and grumbling.
Our imbalanced discontentment isolates us from God’s Goodness and mercy. Instead of wanting more of the BREAD OF LIFE we want more of food that does not satisfy.
Are you that person?
When someone in the Scriptures submitted their life to Christ…it was complete and total surrender and not “submission based on convenience.” It is a selfless walk.
We are told to find our life and live it to the fullest we must lose our life first. (Matthew 10:30)
So if both Contentment & Discontentment can lead to things not of God, how should we operate?
Apostle Paul said: “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11)
Another option…A HOLY DISCONTENT – You have learned to be content in whatever circumstances, but You are also ready and waiting as you shadow God closely. While you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. Complacency and grumbling pull you away from the character of God’s grace.
There you are in that lazy boy. It’s nice and it has the butt contour. It has a few tears in it, the cup holder has lost it’s form and can no longer hold your coke can. You are enjoying the comfort of what God has given you and not complaining about a few springs poking through. You are sitting at the edge relaxed, but ready to leap if God calls you. You can hear His voice and you are not stuck.
“The man, who is deeply discontented with himself, is probably growing fast into the full likeness of Christ.” – Spurgeon
THRILL your hearts with the CLOSENESS of the love of God.
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