To be or not to be
We had an interesting chapel on Friday. Two of my friends shared from their hearts on being content and why so often we as Christians are discontent. Boiled down, what they had to say was that every time we get our eyes off God and start worrying about or desiring material things (anything not related directly to God including ministries and programs) we begin to be discontent. Over the past couple of weeks I have heard no fewer than 25 sermons/people referring to this topic. Everyone wants to know why they feel so dissatisfied in their life.
Here is my take. I believe that we are created with something missing (some have referred to this as a God-sized hole; but I don't necessarily agree with that analogy since Christians are often the most dissatisfied people I know). That something is the subconscious knowledge of our loss of perfection that happend when Adam sinned. Due to this loss of perfection we spend our whole life trying to regain what we instinctively knowis missing. Christians, then, feel this dissatisfaction even more since we have received Jesus and the Holy Spirit and with them have received a greater understanding of the "something more" concept. If we accept that there is something more to life than what is traditionally accepted this discontent is actually a good thing since it spurs us on to get closer to God and gain a greater understanding of what is desired/required of us. So I would disagree with my friends that we should be content with our salvation and that our discontent is actually a result of our "carnality". [Though in some cases I am sure that this could be true. The difference is how we react to the content/discontent quandry].
For myself there is more a danger in being content than in not. There is a very thin line between contentment and complacency. And many times people don't even realize when they have crossed that line. Complacency is selfish. It is uncritical self-satisfaction with oneself or one's achievments. That is why contentment is so tricky. As soon as you are content with where you are you have become complacent. By its very nature, complacency tends to remain hidden since the human psyche is adept at rationalizing actions and though processes. Rationalizing complacency as contentment is one of the easiest things to do.
Another thing is that God did not call us to be content. In fact, He specifically rebukes those who are unwilling to change or who have come to a place of "lukewarmness" in their lives. The life of Christian was never meant to be easy. Jesus tells us that we will be persecuted and suffer hardships and problems. He even implys that our life will be much harder than if we had not decided to follow Him. Neither contentment nor complacency can survive in that sort of environment. True we can be content in the fact that we are God's children and have nothing to worry about; but does it ever end at just that? Soon we get content with where our relationship is with Him; then it progresses to being satisfied to just attend church; pretty soon we are content to just do the minimum we can in order to not feel guilty about our faith. On the flip side is the example of the saints and heroes of the Bible. The ones we wish to patterns our lives after (Abraham, Moses, David, the Judges, etc.) were in a constant transition, never satisfied with their relationship with God and always striving to improve that relationship. When they stopped their struggles and became "content" was when they began to fall.
I think that's all for now. I really went at that more vigorously than I originally intended but it's something that really bothers me when I hear it preached from the pulpit.
Here is my take. I believe that we are created with something missing (some have referred to this as a God-sized hole; but I don't necessarily agree with that analogy since Christians are often the most dissatisfied people I know). That something is the subconscious knowledge of our loss of perfection that happend when Adam sinned. Due to this loss of perfection we spend our whole life trying to regain what we instinctively knowis missing. Christians, then, feel this dissatisfaction even more since we have received Jesus and the Holy Spirit and with them have received a greater understanding of the "something more" concept. If we accept that there is something more to life than what is traditionally accepted this discontent is actually a good thing since it spurs us on to get closer to God and gain a greater understanding of what is desired/required of us. So I would disagree with my friends that we should be content with our salvation and that our discontent is actually a result of our "carnality". [Though in some cases I am sure that this could be true. The difference is how we react to the content/discontent quandry].
For myself there is more a danger in being content than in not. There is a very thin line between contentment and complacency. And many times people don't even realize when they have crossed that line. Complacency is selfish. It is uncritical self-satisfaction with oneself or one's achievments. That is why contentment is so tricky. As soon as you are content with where you are you have become complacent. By its very nature, complacency tends to remain hidden since the human psyche is adept at rationalizing actions and though processes. Rationalizing complacency as contentment is one of the easiest things to do.
Another thing is that God did not call us to be content. In fact, He specifically rebukes those who are unwilling to change or who have come to a place of "lukewarmness" in their lives. The life of Christian was never meant to be easy. Jesus tells us that we will be persecuted and suffer hardships and problems. He even implys that our life will be much harder than if we had not decided to follow Him. Neither contentment nor complacency can survive in that sort of environment. True we can be content in the fact that we are God's children and have nothing to worry about; but does it ever end at just that? Soon we get content with where our relationship is with Him; then it progresses to being satisfied to just attend church; pretty soon we are content to just do the minimum we can in order to not feel guilty about our faith. On the flip side is the example of the saints and heroes of the Bible. The ones we wish to patterns our lives after (Abraham, Moses, David, the Judges, etc.) were in a constant transition, never satisfied with their relationship with God and always striving to improve that relationship. When they stopped their struggles and became "content" was when they began to fall.
I think that's all for now. I really went at that more vigorously than I originally intended but it's something that really bothers me when I hear it preached from the pulpit.
posted by druid_of_christ | 12:47
3 Comments:
I must say I only patially agree with you. I guess it all depends on what you consider contentment. In the service on Friday, I thought they were speaking more about what I feel true contentment is: satisfaction in what I have and not longing for more in this world. I long for more of God--if I didn't, I would be complacent. But I believe that as long as I am satisfied with Him and in Him and through Him, I am content in my life. In this, I know I cannot be sinning if my desire is to follow God's all for my life. I am truly content with what I have--I am beyond content, for indeed I feel privileged. and blessed. But discontentment does not mean you are led to strive for something greater. You can do that while content with what you have...reaching for a higher call or standard, but being content if you have to wait to acheive it. In a nutshell, of course, since I'm sure I could go on for pages explaining all that. Now, don't you go taking my words out of context on me! :) You like to do that if/when you debate!
Very interesting rambling John. I don't like sermons on "contentedness". There are so many faces to being content...I am a content person. In fact, I am more than content, I feel complete at this stage in my life. I have a wonderful husband, and my children are true miracles and blessings. I have the greatest family a person could ask for (both immediate and extended), and I have a God who loves me and loves my family. What's not to be content about? You can always strive to be closer to God, and strive for further deepness in your relationship with him, but why should that eternal journey be lumped in with contentment? And why should that also be lumped in with feelings of inadequacy and depression of a kind (as it so often is). If you have a relationship with God, you can only feel blessed. Unworthy maybe, but still blessed.
I dunno. I'm sure I'm looking at it from a much more simplistic point of view. :-)
Well, I think it breaks down to contentedness on the spiritual level and physical level. On the spiritual level, we should never be content where we are at, and should always strive for more. Thus the danger of a lukewarm Christian.
However, on the physical level. I feel that not being content with what the Lord has provided for us at the moment can be bad. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (KJV) it says, "6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." In Philippians 4:10-12 (KJV)it says,"10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
It is food for thought. Being that I wasn't there, I won't profess I know exactly what was said. Certainly though, the iron sharpening process is fun!
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