Matt. 6:5-13, Contentment vs. covetousness (4)

We concluded recognizing that “contentment” does not come naturally.  It must be learned.  So let us consider this last question …

l)    What must we learn in order to be content?  It begins, as is always the case, with a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  That relationship, being in Christ, is the means by which we access His grace and “every spiritual blessing.”  Apart from this provision we cannot experience His life in us.

i)      Since contentment is the result of a life of trusting in El Shaddai, we see the importance of two major aspects of the Christian life.

(1)                        The walk of faith.  This is obvious.  Contentment is not the result of quashing our desires.  It is not the Epicurean withdrawal from desire, the Eastern quashing of ambition or even the even-handled personality of a gentle person.  Contentment is, in a certain way, ambitious.  It strongly pursues a faith-relationship with God, putting into His hands the provision of every need.  The Christian finds rest in Christ (Mt. 11:28-30).  His trust is in Christ to meet his needs.  According to 1 John 2:16 the strongest temptations are the lust of the flesh (to pursue whatever feels good), the lust of the eyes (to pursue whatever looks satisfying to us) and the pride of life (to pursue selfish ambition).  If we love these things we are filled with greed or covetousness.  Instead, we are to seek or pursue the life of faith.  That is where we find the true satisfaction of the soul (Matt. 6:31-34; 1 Tim. 6:11).

(2)                        The discipline of prayer.  People who find their contentment in God will be people of prayer.  Prayer is the means by which we bring our needs to the Lord.  Prayer is the antidote to anxiety about life’s uncertainties (Phil. 4:6-7).  Jesus taught His disciples to pray in what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matt. 6:9-13).  It is interesting that every phrase in that prayer is a “request.”  Jesus not only taught His disciples “how” to prayer; He taught them “what” to pray for!  The requests we bring to God are often just a repeating of our selfish desires.  A major part of contentment is learning to desire what God desires for us.  Compare your prayer-desires to those of Jesus:

(a) The desire for God to be glorified (6:9).

(b)            The desire for God’s rule and will to be seen more and more on earth (6:10).

(c) The desire for God to provide our daily needs (6:11).

(d)            The desire for God’s forgiveness as we forgive others (6:12).

(e) The desire to be free from temptation and the control of Satan (6:13).