Is contented living possible where you are today? The short answer is yes. It is possible.
We’ve been talking about the 4 areas of discontentment and where we live is one of those sources of discontentment.
The verse we have focused on in this series is this:
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Philippians 4:11 ESV
Contented Living: Even Amid Trials?
Paul encountered many trials and tribulations in his life as he traveled around telling others about Jesus. He was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, in danger, and suffered sleepless nights without water or food (2 Corinthians 11:24-27).
But through all of this hardship, he learned to be content. And when he wrote this letter to the Philippians, he was in jail. I am not sure that I would be content sitting in a cold jail cell!
But Paul found a way. He said he learned it. But what was his secret? How did he do it?
The Greek word, manthano, for learned means to learn by use and practice. In each and every situation or place that he lived, he practiced being content. And that true contentment was found in Christ.
Not Contented Living? Discontent With Where We Live
Do you ever complain about where you live and desire to move somewhere else? I have! If I had a dollar for every time I said, thought, or complained about where I live, I would probably be able to retire!
My complaints have not been about our house. We have chosen where we live and have been contented with that. And we have made improvements over the years to areas of the house that needed updating. In 2017, we did a renovation of our kitchen by opening up the space, adding new appliances, and flooring.
Project Expansion
And that project expanded, like most projects do, to the living room. My husband removed a faux stone fireplace and rocks that decorated a wall. Yes – there were faux rocks on the wall! And when that was finished, we painted the walls and had the carpet replaced.
It was a lot of work but worth all the money spent. And we are still enjoying the kitchen and living room changes today.
And recently, after living in our house for 21 years, we renovated our bathroom. It is such an upgrade that I LOVE being in our new bathroom. Does that sound weird? We had a heated floor put in and it feels so nice, especially in the middle of the night. But when you live in an area of the country where the winters are severe, you appreciate warm floors, even in your bathroom!
Contented Living – The Place, Not the House
My discontent has not been our house but the place where we live- the cold, frigid weather is awful! I would love to be somewhere warmer. Over the past 8 or so years, it has been a goal to get somewhere warm during the winter. It is a way of escaping the frigid weather and enjoying the warm sun and beaches elsewhere.
Are you discontented with the place or area of the country you live in? And is your place cold like mine or is it hot all the time?
At the marriage retreat where Pastor Frank referenced discontentment, he said this about where we live. “Wherever you move to, you are there.”
You see. It isn’t the place that keeps us from contented living. It is how we respond to and think about the environment that we live in. Those bad attitudes can get us every time. I think that is how Paul was able to learn to be content in every situation or place that he lived in. Even in a jail cell.
So how do we learn this contentment as Paul did?
Three Ways to Contented Living
1. Be Content in Christ
First, Paul knew that his contentment was found in Christ. And he urged Timothy to teach godliness to the people in Ephesus and be content with what they have.
In Ephesus, people were teaching a different doctrine than the gospel of Jesus Christ. They craved controversy and quarreled over words that caused envy, slander, and evil suspicions. And they thought godliness was a way to gain more money (1 Timothy 6:3-5). These false teachers weren’t sharing the gospel for God but for a way to make themselves rich.
Paul told Timothy,
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV
The people had chosen to chase after money and riches. And choosing to chase after money causes a person all kinds of grief (vs.10). Instead, he charges them to NOT
set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 ESV
God provides for our needs and we are thankful for what He has given us. We need to be content with what we do have.
2. Take Time to Rest
At times, we do need a break. And that may be taking a vacation away from home to rest. Rest is needed to restore our bodies and minds. God rested on the 7th day and commands us to rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
There are types of breaks from work that can provide rest. One of them is taking a planned vacation somewhere else.
In the winter, we choose to go somewhere warm to get a break from the cold weather. It gives us time to relax, spend time with friends or loved ones, and explore new places. Our brains need rest to restore.
If you live somewhere warm and want to check out the snow, there are many places to visit where you can go skiing, sledding, or you can stop along the way and make a snowman or snow angels.
3. Bloom Where You are Planted
A famous saying by Mary Engelbreit says, “bloom where you are planted.” This isn’t a verse or instruction from the Bible. However, there are many verses in the Bible about planting or staying where you are.
Jerusalem was taken over by the Babylonians and the Israelites lived in exile in Babylon for 70 years. This was punishment for not following God’s commands for not having sabbatical years (2 Chronicles 36:21). If you are curious about sabbath years and why a year of rest for the land was important to God, see Leviticus 25:1-7.
Jeremiah explained to the people in Chapter 25 about being punished and that they’d be there 70 years. But they were living like they didn’t really understand that they’d be there that long. So Jeremiah encouraged them to basically bloom where they were planted.
Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
Jeremiah 29:5 ESV
Contented Living: Put Down Roots
He was telling them to put down roots. The Hebrew word for to plant, nata, means to fasten. They were to fasten themselves to where they lived. Not only were they to build houses and plant gardens, but they were to take wives and have children (vs. 6). In addition, they were to ‘seek the welfare of the city… and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (vs. 7).
Are you firmly planted where you live and creating a family to dwell there? And are you seeking the welfare of the city and praying for it?
We have lived in our current location for over 20 years. And we moved to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota over 32 years ago. Our children were born in a hospital here in the Cities and our children grew up most of their lives in this city of about 27 thousand. We have been planted and firmly fastened here. But I admit, I really had not truly prayed for the welfare of this city and its inhabitants until a couple of years ago.
Unless the Lord tells us to move elsewhere and it is evident that it is His Plan, we are blooming right here where we are planted until we retire.
A Future and A Hope
Jeremiah encouraged the people that God has the best plans for them. Right now, living in Babylon, was where they needed to be. And in the future, there is hope, because He would restore them back to Jerusalem.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
Similar to the Israelites, live the contented life where you are now. Have hope that God’s plans for you are good. And in the future, He may move you somewhere else. But if he doesn’t, that is okay. He has a plan right here and now for you to accomplish for His Glory. Be content where you are.
*******
Resource Library
There are downloadable resources in the library for you to learn and grow in God’s Word. Check them out today!
