I have struggled with lack of contentment for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school I remember a teacher asking me, "Can't you just be satisfied?" So I have strived as hard as possible to reach points of contentment in my life where I am satisfied with what the Lord has given me and the life situation that I find myself in. There is one area, however, where I hope I never find contentment, and that is when I am content in a wrong relationship with the Lord. Judges chapter 17 records the story of Micah and his Levite priest whom he bribes to come work for him. Verse 11 records that "the Levite was content to dwell with [Micah]…" He was content to sin! He was content to make a farce out of the Living God! May that never be said of me! The moment I am content with trying to manipulate God for my own means is the moment I hope he wipes me from the face of the earth. And if He does not do that, hopefully He will use some drastic means to shock me back into reality! Contentment here is a sin, and it is characterized by the phrase: "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," (17:6b). Forget God's standards. Forget His holiness. Let me make Him into what I want and get from Him what I desire. A person who believes this believes that religion is some sort of a game to be played. But following Christ is no game. Contentment here is out of place, and I pray that it will never be characteristic of me!
About Seth
Seth is a pastor, author, and speaker who lives in Batesville, Indiana. He is married to Kari, and they have two daughters, Madelyn and Noelle.
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