The Cultivation of Contentment

The Cultivation of Contentment…

The saying “Ill weeds grow apace” aptly illustrates that contentment is not inherent to human nature.  Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring spring forth as readily as thorns from the soil.  They are, unfortunately, our natural inclination. 

This aligns with the wisdom found in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” 

The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:11, declares, “I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.”  This statement reveals that contentment is not an innate quality but a learned skill, a cultivated virtue.  Just as thistles and brambles grow without cultivation, complaints arise effortlessly. 

However, the “precious things,” like contentment, require deliberate effort.  They are akin to the flowers of heaven, needing careful tending and nurturing to blossom within us.  It is the new nature, born of faith, that can truly produce this grace, and even then, constant vigilance is required.

Paul’s own words, “I have learned…to be content,” suggest a journey, a process of growth and understanding.  He implies a time when he lacked this contentment, a struggle to grasp this profound truth.  It likely involved moments of perceived mastery followed by setbacks. 

His ultimate declaration of contentment came late in life, as an aged prisoner confined to Nero’s harsh dungeon in Rome.  This context underscores the depth and power of his statement.  It wasn’t born of ease or comfort, but of hardship and trial.

We should not deceive ourselves into thinking contentment comes easily, either through mere intellectual understanding or without disciplined practice.  It is not a natural ability but an acquired skill, a science learned gradually through experience. 

Therefore, we must actively resist the natural inclination to murmur and complain.  We must strive to be diligent students in the “College of Content,” constantly learning and growing in this essential grace.

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge my natural tendency towards discontent and murmuring. I confess that true contentment is a gift, a fruit of the Spirit, and a skill I must learn.  Help me to cultivate this virtue within myself.  Grant me the patience and discipline to learn from your Word and from the example of Paul, who learned contentment even in the midst of hardship.  Quiet the complaining voice within me and replace it with gratitude and trust in your provision.  May I, like Paul, learn in whatever state I am, to be content, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼