What are the Characteristics of Contentment?

How do we know what the characteristics of contentment are? We don’t need to go very far. We can open up God’s Word and find these 5 Characteristics of Contentment.

5 Characteristics of Contentment

1. God’s Word

God’s Word itself is a form of contentment.

He wanted to have a relationship with us, so the Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Books of the Bible. These books contain His Words and are how God communicates with us.

These 66 books teach us more about who God is and tell us how we can live this life with His help.

We also find encouragement, discipline, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

The key is to spend regular time in His Word. The Psalmist says that when we meditate on it day and night, our delight or satisfaction is found in it.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:2 ESV

We can derive our contentment from reading and studying God’s Word daily.

2. Work

We can find contentment in our work, which can bring us joy.

When we find work that we can do and enjoy, we can be satisfied with that work. The key is to find a job or work that you enjoy.

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 ESV

Sometimes, the work we do can be a means to an end. We have to do it to pay the bills, but work can seem like drudgery.

I know there were times when I didn’t want to go to work. The tasks were repetitious and menial. When I read Ecclesiastes 5, I would think about how work can be a gift. And I was helping people and enjoyed the people I knew at work.

The part that is important to think about is God is the one who gives us money and things in our lives. But we also can have the power or ability to master enjoying them. This ability to enjoy them is a gift. We need to be thankful for the gifts that we do have.

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 

Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV

We can have joy from our work

When we view work as a gift, we can have joy in our hearts because we are so preoccupied with doing the work.

That joy can come from doing work that has purpose and meaning. When we see the bigger picture in how the work we do fits the purpose or the mission of the company, work can bring us joy.

For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20 ESV

3. Weakness

Believe it or not, weakness is a characteristic of contentment. But the key to this is that the things we suffer are for the sake of Christ, and we get the strength we need from Christ.

When we endure trials and tribulations, we are weak. It is hard, and we don’t see how we will make it through them. But we can rely on the powerful strength of God, and then we are strong.

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV

4. Godliness & Necessities

A godly person or one who exhibits godliness has an attitude of doing things that please God. This is done out of respect for God and who we know Him to be.

If we have this godly attitude and contentment, then we gain. We gain more by having these two than any wealth we acquire.

When Paul wrote to Timothy in the book of 1 Timothy, he reminded him that we didn’t bring anything into this world, so we won’t be taking anything with us when we die. We have contentment with godliness and just have the basics we need in this life.

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

5. God’s Strength

Many times our circumstances can get us down. Whether at home or work, we can be content in ANY circumstance because we know God is with us.

Paul said that He has learned to be content in any situation.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Philippians 4:11 ESV

The secret to doing this is to rely on God and not yourself. His strength allows us to get through. And it even allows us to be content.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 ESV

Characteristics of Contentment

So there you have it! We need to be reading God’s Word daily. Our work can be a gift of God and give us joy. When we rely on God’s strength during trials, we can be content even when we are weak. Practicing godliness in all that we do and being content with the necessities we have in our life give us great gain. And lastly, we need to quit relying on our strength and put our daily reliance on God’s strength.

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Resource Library

Looking for some free resources? You have them right here in the resource library. There is a monthly Bible reading plan for being Satisfied. This is one word that is a synonym for Contentment. And there are Bible verse cards and bookmarks too. All yours for the taking.