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Contentment
"Be content with such things as ye have." What
is it to be contented? When we are contented we are not
wishing for something we do not have. To be contented with
just what you have is to not be wishing for something you
do not have. Paul said, "For I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am therewith to be content."
(Phil. 4:11). If Paul could learn that lesson, we can
learn it. A brother was asked what kind of weather he
thought it would be for the next few days. He answered,
"Just the sort of weather that suits me." The
inquirer was eager to know what sort of weather suited
him. He replied, "Just what ever kind suits the
Lord."
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
(1 Tim. 6:6). There may be some who do not know the true
meaning of these words. They do not mean thatyou have
great gain. They mean that if you have godliness and the
contentment that always attends it you have great gain.
You cannot separate godliness and contentment. If you have
godliness you have contentment, and you cannot have
contentment without godliness. We come just as far short
of true godliness as we come short of contentment. If you
do not have perfect contentment, you do not possess God in
the fullness. The fullness of God in the soul satisfies
the soul. It leaves no void. Such a soul has perfect
peace, fullness of joy, rivers of pleasures, and is happy
in its lot.
To be contented you must come to know, and know it well,
that nothing can happen to you which is not in harmony
with the will of God. Without a thorough knowledge of this
there will be discontentment. Nothing can disturb the
peace of those who know in their heart that God's will is
in every thing that comes to them in life. Instead of
striving to be rich, strive to be contented with what you
have. A contented life is yours, if you will have it. It
is a grand way to live.
Then,
whatsoever wind cloth blow,
My heart is glad to have it so;
And, blow it east or blow it west,
The wind that blows, that wind is best.
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