happiness with one's situation in life.
a state of peaceful happiness or satisfaction.
to one’s heart’s content-to the full extent of one’s desires.
I think 1 Tim. 6:6 and 2 Cor. 9:8 are pretty clear about contentment as part of the Christian life.
But I am wrestling with what this looks like. Should the Christian be totally content with their life? What does that mean for our eschatology?
Are the above definitions missing something?
And I don't mean contentment as a dutiful acceptance of life just becuase things are the way that they are.
So many thoughts....
So many questions....
4 comments:
are both those contentment verses linked to the materialism and money?
Should the Christian be totally content with their life?
Hmmmm - can I answer yes and no?
As we heard in chapel this morning, we are to be content because we have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ. In that sense I think we have to strive to remember the spiritual blessings we have been given and both their eschatalogical and present reality.
But if contentment is described as 'happiness with one's situation' then I'm not sure we can be fully content. We live in a corrupt and fallen world which brings sorrow, suffering and grief. Surely God doesn't want us to be happy about that? Surely grief is an appropriate response to both our fallen nature and the fallen state of the world? But I don't think that rules out us being content... I don't think they are mutually exclusive.
Does that make sense?
Hi Bron,
thanks for stopping by.
Yes, both of those verses are linked to contentment and material blessings. Which leads me to ask: Should the poor man be content in his poverty?
Hi Dani,
yes that makes sense. That is the tension that I am exploring and toying with at the moment.
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