Contentment

As I sit here, bible in hand, I am hearing the words that God is speaking to me about the blessings he gives. I am reading 1 Timothy 6:1-10. Will you read with me? This is Michele sharing with you on this Tuesday morning. Hope you all had a fabulous Monday! As you read this passage be sure to take in whatever God may be pressing upon your heart and share with us at the end what that is. This is what I'm hearing him say to me:

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth....So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. (v 6, 8)

I've been a single parent for a very long time. Therefore, I have had to live accordingly. This has sometimes meant going without things I think may make me happy. I have had to be very disciplined with my finances and be content with what I have. That's not always easy for a woman! But....I have never had to go without the essentials in my life, nor has my son. God has provided very well for us through the years.

 Simplicity and contentment is the key! If we spend our lives trying to be like everyone else or wanting more and more, we will end up in a big heap of discontent. Who wants that? True godliness focuses on our Lord and realizing that he will always provide for us. What he gives is just what we need.

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (v. 10)

Do you ever wonder why people steal? Why individuals rack up all kinds of credit card debt just to have stuff? Why the economy is struggling so? Why are "get rich quick" schemes are so popular? GREED! Everyone wants what they want when they want it. This world makes it so easy to fall into that trap. Everywhere we look we see advertisements for credit cards with high limits and low initial interest rates, easy to get loans so we can purchase the things we've "never been able to have before", or we spend we spend thousands of dollars on lottery tickets because we all know someone who's won and we want the same opportunity. A perfect recipe for financial destruction!

Wanting more and more is the complete opposite of contentment. When we focus solely on money and what we have, we aren't trusting in the one who really is our provider. Instead we are keeping our eyes on ourselves and God's word clearly states that this will pierce us with many sorrows.

I don't know about you but I'm all about keeping my sorrows few!!

Lord, we need your help! It's so easy to fall into the cancer of greed. Our world is filled with lies about what will bring us happiness. Give us eyes and ears that only see and hear truth. Help us not to be deceived. We love you and want to live for you. Help us to find true contentment in your ways! We love you! Amen.

Now, it's your turn to share. Tell us what you took away from this passage. We love to hear your comments!