There is a lot of value in being content. It may not be the thing
that most people seek. Most people are seeking money and power and
satisfaction of their carnal desires. But being content, for those who
are, is like a warm bed in winter and a glass of iced lemonade in
summer. And its rare to find content people. So for anyone who desires
contentment in this crazy world, what is there to do? Something very
real, based on Someone very real.
Having a clear conscience
A
guilty conscience will haunt the person who has it. Someone might get
away with a crime, and not be thrown in prison, but his conscience will
eat him up. So much so that he may wish to be found out and brought to
justice, so that he can pay retribution for his deeds. As Solomon says
in the Proverbs, "A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a
fugitive till death" (Proverbs 28:17). The only way to have a clear
conscience is to be reconciled with God and with those people hurt by
deeds done, and to be righteous from then on. That starts with asking
God for forgiveness, and asking God to give the Holy Spirit for
regeneration. Only a person who is born again can stop sinning and have
a clear conscience.
Knowing the truth
Anyone
who knows the truth, and that truth which is important and relevant to
life, will have confidence in what he does. There is no fear in the
person who knows the truth, except the fear of God. There is
confidence. There is an inward joy as others are speaking about things
that he understands. Sometimes there is an inward laughter. And
gaining knowledge of the truth is not hard to do. It starts with
reading the Bible. The ultimate truth, whether God is real and Jesus is
who He said He is, and whether the Bible is true, is something that
must be answered first. And that can be answered by studying the
reasons people believe the Bible and the evidences supporting the
Bible. There are perfectly logical arguments for believing that the
Bible is what it claims to be. Once that is answered, and the truth is
known in that regard, then you must read the Bible and meditate on its
meaning. All of the most important truths are found in the Bible. Not
only things that are general in nature, but also things quite specific
and profound. Check it out and you'll see what I mean.
Having faith in God
When
people talk about having faith in God it is usually about salvation.
Of course a Christian has faith in God for his salvation, but that isn't
what I'm talking about here. See, if we truly believe what the Bible
says about God, then there is very good reason for us to have faith in
God for everyday salvation. Should we be worried about our bank
account? Should we worry about accidents? Do we need insurance and a
retirement fund? If we have faith in God, the answer is no. He has
many multitudes of angels, and doesn't the writer of Hebrews say that
angels are sent to serve Christians (Hebrews 1:14)? And in Romans 8:28,
Paul writes that God works to the good of those that love Him. Even
bad things that happen to Christians are turned into good. So with
faith in God, there is no way to worry about life. Faith in God and
worry are two drastically contradictory things.
Being satisfied with the greatest reward
There
is no greater reward possible than the reward of eternal life. Life
with God in heaven, at the New Jerusalem, and with all the universe in
our possession, is simply beyond compare. So what is the point of
desiring things of this world? With that great reward of eternal life,
how can anyone be wanting? Eternal life brings satisfaction. It brings
satisfaction in Christ Jesus. This starts with being born again.
Being born again starts with knowing the truth and having faith in God.
By the grace of God we are given the Holy Spirit, and with that we are
given satisfaction and confidence and a clear conscience. These things
produce contentment. And contentment is a gift that is largely
undervalued in our world. People don't realize just how wonderful it is
to be able to say, "It is well with my soul."
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