CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT COMES never in material things or in the improvement of our Circumstances, but in the God Who assures us that He is our God and in the joy of knowing that He is in absolute control; believing His ways for us are no less than perfect. It is in such glad submission to the will of God that we find true rest and happiness in its true context.

The Christian that is content, with the peace of God that assures all is well, is one who knows God. It is one thing to be apathetic in one’s circumstances but another to rest in God amidst unfavourable circumstances. God never condones indolence and neither will He condemn those who have tried every resource available only to know such doors closing.

God raises the Christian’s perspective that is in direct contrast to the world; the world is motivated and geared for material gain, whereas the Christian seeks to grow in the graces of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Christian is embarked upon to explore the inexhaustible riches of Christ. They are spiritual in nature and yet how narrow-minded to think that we must have something tangible and physical to see and enjoy with our own eyes to reach the pinnacle of contentment.

God, Who is spirit, is perfectly self sufficient with no need for anything. Christ’s spiritual riches supercede everything physical; in fact, they are the very substance of all that we see which is sustained by Him Who holds all things together by the power of His word. God was before anything that was made and His existence unfathomably transcends all of the dimensions we may scientifically discover.

The very essence of eternal life is to know God Himself (John 17:3), not so much as having a new glorified body; more than anything else, we ought to desire to be unclothed with this body and dressed with a new one, not because it exceeds bodily limitations, as we now encounter them, but rather, sin will be totally eradicated; “we shall be like Him” having a new body that will never inhibit the presence of God; we shall be able to look upon Him with new eyes and still live. Knowing God with no veil to hide Him from view shall be heaven itself.

That journey, of knowing God, has begun since the day of our coming to faith in Christ. We have everything – absolutely everything – in God and as Paul paradoxically stated, we too (in this life) will know what it is to be, “…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Corinthians 6:10). One of the incredible aspects of the Christian life is that we don’t have to wait for difficult times to pass by before we can taste the goodness God has laid up for us. David said, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5). It is more often in the very midst of adversity that we discover the treasures we have in God through Christ. Those seasons till the soil of our hearts to receive what God has appointed; they make us sensible of the difference between what is transient and what is eternal; what is worthless and worthy; they shake off the world’s soil from our hearts so that we take deeper root in God, whereby His promises are greater realised (made consciously actual) in our lives.

Beyond gaining what we inherit through Christ, we find that He Himself is our very portion and inheritance. Those who were the spiritual Israel (among physical Israel) longed for God more than any of the promised material blessings combined together. Those whose hearts had been circumcised perceived the real Treasure. Even though Moses never entered the Promised Land, he beheld something infinitely greater: the glory of God (Exodus 33:17-22).

God is our inheritance. The weight of this glory is incalculable, but have we at least set out to explore the inexhaustible depths of this truth? The Psalmist states, “Do not be envious of wrong doers” (Psalm 37:1) and the same connotation is carried over in Psalm 73:3 at how the wicked prosper while the righteous are subject to suffering. Oftentimes the ungodly thrive in the material sense by dishonesty that has the potential to greatly discourage those who walk loyally with God yet encounter poverty, but as Spurgeon said, “Physical prosperity is not the evidence of God’s favour.” In actuality, it is a strong sign that God’s favour is upon us when He weans us from drawing on earthly comfort, security and stability; trials in such areas drive home the essentials to draw upon the life of God that nourishes and satisfies the soul. This is not to say that a Christian knows no measure of financial success, or that it is wrong, but there comes the warning of guarding our hearts if riches do increase (Psalm 62:10). Someone may have suffered the loss of an inheritance, but when God personally reveals Himself to you as your inheritance, life takes on a transforming and joyous perspective. There is no greater security than knowing God is your Father and that He takes a very loving and extraordinary interest in you. This is by no merit of our own. Not even poverty earns us such a position; this is purely the overflowing mercy and benevolence of God.

The fact that Paul, who laboured selflessly for the Gospel, suffered hunger, thirst, sleepless nights and exposure to the elements (2 Corinthians 11:25-28), stands in direct opposition to today’s ‘God wants to prosper you’ rather than God’s plans being prospered, for His glory, through our lives. Many have suitably twisted the truth that we exist alone for His glory, to us having a piece of that glory for ourselves. Many ‘pursue’ God today with the motive to see their dreams come to fruition. That is not Christianity. It is not even about our redemption or our salvation, even though it is an essential component; it is rather reconciliation with God in order that we will live unto Him. We were saved to be conformed unto the image of Jesus Christ – that will be our glorification and is what every child of God should strive for (make every effort – 2 Peter 1:5-8). I seriously wonder how many people these days would still rush to the altar to make a ‘commitment’ to Christ, knowing full well that their lives would no longer be their own to do as they please. I don’t hesitate to say that many churches wouldn’t be too thrilled either if they were to hear a call to suffer for Christ’s name (Philippians 1:29), but I can tell you this: the early disciples counted it a great joy to be counted worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ (Acts 5:41). That would be ludicrous to the modern Christian trends.

This is not saying that we should all suffer in the same way (as Paul), but the point is, in such circumstances Paul had learned to be content in God in whatever situation he faced; can we not also know the power of grace to do the same? Paul had no different God than ours; there was no special privilege of God’s grace limited just for Paul. That same grace is accessible to us all according to our real needs. Are we drawing on it? God’s grace isn’t just dropped into our hands; we seek it, we count on it; we come boldly before the throne of grace and we don’t leave until we know it. His grace is already sufficient for us, but there has to be a conscious drawing of it (Hebrews 4:16).

This is what enabled Paul to be content in and every situation. He lost only what was insignificant compared to gaining the surpassing worth of knowing Christ – the Pearl of great price. His everything was God Himself. Nothing could take that away and nothing could replace it; nothing was even worthy to enter into comparison with it. Do we see Him as Paul saw Him? Forget about Paul’s calling and his position in ministry for one moment; do we long to see Him; do we long to be closer to Him. “We can be as close to God as much as we want to” Tozer said. Paul possessed the greatest thing any man or woman can aspire to and therefore was content in all circumstances (to be in plenty or suffer need) because he knew nothing whatsoever could separate him from God or even prevent God’s purposes working through his life. Paul had an overwhelming panoramic view of God’s sovereignty and from there was gladly submissive to His providence, that no matter what his lot, he could say as the hymnist, “It is well with my soul” for God is in complete control.