Contentment
The word “contentment” comes
from the Greek word “arkeo” meaning “to be enough” or
“to be sufficient”. At times the New
Testament shifts the emphasis. It’s not
simply that something is in sufficient supply, but that we have an attitude
that lets us be satisfied with whatever is available.
– L. Richard’s Expository Dictionary of Bible Words,
p. 189.
– Vine, Unger, and White’s An Expository Dictionary
of Biblical Words, p. 226.
The Greek word “autarkeia” denotes freedom from reliance upon others,
whether other persons or other things; hence the satisfaction of one’s needs (2
Cor. 9:8) or the control of one’s desires (1 Tim. 6:6, 8). It’s not a passive acceptance of the status
quo, but the positive assurance that God has supplied one’s needs, and the
consequent release from unnecessary desire.
The Christian can be self-contained because he has been satisfied by the
grace of God (2 Cor. 12:9).
– J. Douglas’ The
New Bible Dictionary, p. 250.
Contentment is that
disposition of mind, through grace, in which one is independent of outward
circumstances (Phil.
– Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 219.
Prov.
Why
is having little with the fear of the Lord better than having great treasure
and turmoil with it (Psa. 31:19; 115:13; 147:11; Prov.
What
kind of turmoil might having great treasure lead to, and why?
Prov.
Which
would you prefer, and why?
Prov. 16:8 What is better than what?
In
what way would having little with being righteous be better than having great
income gained through injustice/dishonesty?
Are
you ever tempted to gain great wealth through dishonest means because you’re
not content with what you have, and why?
Prov. 17:1 What is better than what?
Would
you be content with a dry morsel for meals if it meant having quietness/peace
regularly in your home/family rather than having lots of food if it meant
having constant strife/tension/fighting/yelling in your home/family, and why?
Prov. 30:8, 9 With what would Agur be
content, and why?
Would you be content in life if you only had enough food to eat in
order to remain nutritionally alive and functioning, and why?
Eccles. 5:10-16 What
is pleasant/sweet to the working man/person whether he eats little or much?
Would
you be content with a job/career that God gave you (even if it pays only
minimum wage) and you barely had enough money to buy some food, but you
could sleep well at night because it was honest work and, therefore, you could
have a clear conscience and peace of mind, and why?
Or,
would you rather be rich and have a full stomach, but not be able to sleep at
night because of a guilty conscience or fear of harm that might be done to you
because your riches were obtained through injustice/dishonesty or through
uncompassionate means, or because people were envious of you and wanted to steal
what you had, and why?
Lk. 3:12-14 What were the
soldiers who came to John to be baptized told to be content with?
Are you content/satisfied with your wages from your
job, and why?
Should you be, and why?
Do
you think that John the Baptist’s statement on contentment here would,
therefore, forbid believers/Christians from going on strike due to
dissatisfaction with wages? Why?
Phil. 4:11-13 What did Paul learn (vs. 11)?
What does the fact that Paul said he “learned”
contentment (sufficiency, adequacy) imply?
Have
you learned (gained/acquired through experience, study, or instruction)
to be content (sufficient/adequate) in whatever circumstances you’re in? If so,
how, and why?
How
did Paul come to be content with the circumstances he found himself in while
serving God (being hungry or filled; having abundance materially or
suffering need – temporarily lacking the basics of life, 1 Cor.
If
you haven’t learned to be content in the circumstances/situations you find
yourself in while in the center of God’s will, how could you – vs. 13?
[When
Paul says that he “can do all things through Him who strengthens me”, he means
that Christ gives him the ability to persevere and keep on going in spite of
his circumstances.].
Are
you tapping into the resources/ability that Christ can give you to persevere
and keep going in God’s will in spite of your circumstances, and why?
1 Tim. 6:6-8 Godliness
is a means of great gain (e.g., peace with God, spiritual joy, assurance of
salvation, all things working together for good, rewards in heaven, etc.)
when accompanied by what?
In
what other ways would godliness with contentment (self sufficiency, or being
independent of outward circumstances, or satisfaction) be a means of great
gain?
Why is accumulating material or financial wealth for
one’s self vain/stupid – vs. 7?
What should we Christians be satisfied with (vs.
8)?
Are you or would you be content in life simply by
having food, clothing, and shelter, and why?
What does wanting to get rich lead to (vs. 9)?
What is the love of money a root of (vs. 10)?
What should the Christian flee and then pursue
instead (vs. 11)?
Are you fleeing these also and, then, pursuing the
other things? If so, why?
Does
being content with what you have mean that you can’t pursue any personal goals
or excel in anything, such as: more knowledge; more Christian materials, better
virtues or skills; better equipment or facilities for serving God more effectively;
and/or excellence in our evangelism, building up believers spiritually, and/or
training Christians for the work of the service (Eph. 4:12)?
Why (see 1 Thes. 4:1, 10; 2 Tim.
[Being
content doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for Christ-like perfection or for
things which can/will further the
Heb. 13:5, 6 What should we
Christians be content with, and why?
What should our life/character be free from?
When
you look for a job/career, ministry, or way of spending the rest of your life,
is the main, determining factor for what you choose based on how much money
you’ll get, and why?
What
should the main factor be for Christians looking for a job or ministry (Matt.
28:19, 20; Rom.
Why (Phil. 2:2 with