What is contentment, anyway?
I used to believe that contentment was happiness. Then, I thought maybe it meant accepting “it is what it is.” (Insert eyeroll here.) I have since learned better. Contentment is a choice, not an emotion. Maybe we could say, instead, “It is, what it is for now.” I accept and am grateful for what it is now, but I am still working toward better. It is a purposeful mindset shift. While I don’t have it all figured out yet, I am getting closer to understanding and implementing contentment into my life daily.
Paul’s example of contentment.
Faith and hope bring contentment.
I am a Christian. Naturally, I looked first to the Bible to see what it has to say. The first (and I think most important) thing I realized about contentment is that it is not an emotion. It is a choice. I know that has already been stated, but it is worth repeating. I still repeat this to myself on harder days. “Contentment is a choice. Contentment is a choice. Contentment is a CHOICE!” It reminds me that contentment is possible even in negative or uncomfortable situations.
Philippians 4:12-13 says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
Paul had been in positions of power, with great wealth and respect, but he had also been in positions of imprisonment and poverty. He continued to praise God throughout every circumstance and kept his sights set on the big picture. He trusted God and saw the blessings he had, even in the harshest of environments. Paul had hope. Biblical hope is not the kind of hope we have when making our Christmas lists. Biblical hope, the hope that gave Paul the ability to be content, is based on the assurance of God’s promises. It’s the assurance salvation gives.
Contentment comes with a shift in focus.
Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Maybe your contentment struggles stem from money issues. Mine have often. Please understand that verses like this one do not command us to be broke. That is absolutely NOT the issue. The problem with the love of money is not the money! It is the position on the priority list in which money and money-related issues are placed.
I am accepting more easily the fact that I am not financially where I want to be YET. I do not need to live with discontentment just because I have not yet met all my financial goals. My bills are sometimes barely paid, but they are paid. I still have debt, but I have less debt than previous years. My current home is not my dream home, but I love the home I have. I still have goals, and I still want to reach them. Reaching certain goals that I have will be hard, but the struggle will be easier if I continue to work toward them while keeping my blessings in focus.
If I let my focus dwell on what I want rather than what I have, my life will be filled with stress, bitterness, and frustrations. Conversely, if I work toward my goals while focusing on what I already have and what I have already accomplished, my life will be filled with gratitude, joy, peace, anticipation, and contentment.
Where is your discontentment?
Discontentment is obviously not limited to finances. This is a struggle for many people in many areas of their lives. Some common areas include social status, marital status, physical self-image, self-esteem, “stuff” issues (clutter, hoarding), and the list goes on. Contentment HAS to be an internal decision. No one else can give you contentment. You can seek the Bible, the internet, and people you know for encouragement and tips. That can be extremely beneficial. Contentment still comes from within. It is still a decision each person must make. You already either choose contentment or discontentment each day. Start choosing contentment.
How can I choose to be contented in the age of social media?
It seems that discontentment is becoming a bigger ball to dodge with this “information age.” Social media is full of seemingly perfect families who have seemingly perfect homes and pets that were just born perfectly trained. They have perfect spouses and perfect children. They have all the money necessary to buy “all the things.” I love to watch vlogs, mostly decorating videos or travel vlogs. Vlogs and podcasts on healthy living are also some favorites. I used to look at those people and wonder why I could never have it all together like they do. Why does my home get messy? Why do I still struggle with healthy eating? I am going to be 40 years old this year. I should have all areas of my life together by now, right?
Wrong.
Every day is new, and every year is different. I can and should continue to work toward all my goals, but life still happens. You know that joke? If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans! That does not mean that we stop making plans. We just need to understand that a plan is not a guarantee. Sometimes we need to update, or just postpone, our plans. Learning patience and learning contentment often go hand-in-hand.
Practice makes perfect contentment.
When you first decide to put contentment into practice in your daily life, it is going to look like constant reminders. Write something you are grateful for on several sticky notes. Put them in every room in your house. Stick one or two in your car. Throw one into your wallet. Listen to podcasts or vlogs that focus on gratitude and contentment. Create a mantra that you can repeat to yourself when you start to feel negative. (“Contentment is a choice” really does work!) This can be a Bible verse that really hits you. Maybe it is a quote you heard someone say on one of those podcasts or videos. It could be something you have read in a book or article about focusing on contentment in the area in which you personally struggle most. Just keep practicing.
Contentment is one of those things that really becomes second nature when you practice it consistently. You will notice one day that you no longer have to remind yourself of your blessings. You will see them front and center. It will no longer be necessary to leave sticky notes with “big picture” written on them all over your home. You will already be focused on the big picture.