“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6
Jeremiah Burroughs’ classic work “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” is one of those books that believers should put in their “to read regularly” rotation. It was pivotal in changing my paradigm for thinking about suffering, sanctification, and trust in God (who, as a Calvinist I gladly hail as sovereign). As a man who suffers chronic pain and who has held less than desirable employment in various stages of life, contentment has been a vital virtue to pursue and develop.
As a pastor, I frequently find myself speaking to this underlying issue — the discontentment of believers manifests itself in increasingly more and more grievous sins. Beyond the obvious and varying forms of covetousness, even anger and deception, lust and pornography use, bitterness and anxiety find at their root discontentment and a lack of thanksgiving. These more visible sins being merely outward manifestations of the lack of peace within.
In this article we will look at the theme of contentment thru the framework of “Creation, Fall, Redemption, Glory,” as I strive to build a form foundation from which to pursue this rare jewel.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Designed for Contentment in God
Humanity was created to worship God certainly, but this worship finds it impetus in a profound contentment in God that desires to express its thanksgiving to their Creator. God in creation provided all that man needed, including a helpmeet with which he could enjoy all things. Adam and Eve in their fall can therefore be charged with a lack of contentment in the fall. They have directly disobeyed the command of God, but as often is the case with sin, many others quickly follow suit and flow from the initial sin.
In Creation, humanity was designed to be satisfied in God, satisfied in His provision, and contented in the work prepared for them to do. Part of eternal glory will be a perfect contentment and gratitude to God without the ability to fall away to dissatisfaction. While we yet long for these perfected natures, we instinctively know that something is amiss. We know we were created for joy, peace, good work, and satisfaction. Notably, this is something the curse in Genesis 3 drives home.
Dissatisfaction: The Result of the Fall
“Oh, that we could but convince men and women that murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!”
Jeremiah burroughs “The Rare jewel of christian contentment”
Following the fall of Adam and Eve, God curses the serpent, man, and woman according to their natures. Here we find the first promise of the Gospel in seed form, but functionally we see not only a disfunction in the ability of Adam and Eve to live out their natures, but a formal disruption of their purposes. Eve, intended to be the mother of all humanity now finds her childbirth declared to be with increased pain and travail. Adam, the lord and caretaker of all the Earth now finds the dominion mandate all the more challenging thru the introduction of thorns and other natural woes, disrupting the joyful and productive work Adam was made to complet.
Note, the dominion mandate is not revoked, rather it is now to be carried out through pain, suffering, sorrow, and labor. Dissatisfaction becomes a feature of fallen man. Our ability to combat our natural inclination to frustration and discontentment requires intervention by God Himself. So great is man’s fall. And we are like our first parents more than we care to admit.
At the root of many if not most sins is a profound lack of satisfaction in that which one possesses. This lack of contentment not only is sinful in itself, but compounds with a lack of faith or trust in God’s provision, or worse, fear and anxiety, or even cursing against God for one’s circumstances.
When we find ourselves discontented with an outcome for example, we are not only saying to God “your will is insufficient for me,” but also, “I don’t trust that you know what is best for me.” This attitude and disposition is precisely what Burroughs takes aim at in his writings and preaching. If contentment is a rare jewel, it is one worth pursuing for a myriad of reasons. We must first recognize this inclination and seek then the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
Redemption: Restored Natures in Christ
While the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit does not magically perfect the believer into a state of radical contentment, the restorative nature of God’s grace does in fact impact, revitalize, and re-prioritize our affections, desires, and expectations. We have not yet been perfected in glory, and yet, we have access to the living waters of Christ, the sustaining nourishment of the bread of life, and the means of grace granted us in the fellowship of the saints. In short, we have new desires, loves rightly ordered, that point us further up and further in, to the promised land of rest in our Lord and Savior.
Scripture commands us to be conformed to the image of Christ. This sometimes entails holiness and piety and oftentimes suffering and want. But is it not Christ’s own humiliation and endurance of trials that gives us hope and joy in the midst of similar situations? Christ endured so much more than we can truly comprehend, yet without sin, even the sin of discontentment. In Christ, our natures are restored sufficiently to set us upon the sanctifying path.
What does sanctification look like for the murmuring Christian? Oftentimes it is denial of one’s own desires. An acceptance that if you don’t have it, by God, you don’t need it. Other times it is basking in thanksgiving, recognizing all the good that God has done for you. Sometimes it is accompanied by and accomplished through pain, trial, and suffering. The link between suffering and sanctification is all over Scripture and easily discernible in nature. This concept is worthy of its own thorough treatment; one I hope to make my life’s work in writing about.
Suffice to say, that the lord in redeeming you by grace and blood, knows sufficiently what it is you need to be sanctified in any given moment. This is at the crux of the context for one of the most quoted scriptures in all the Bible. Phil. 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” And yet so few know the two verses prior in which Paul, writing from a Philippian jail writes,
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.“
This, dear friends, is the position from which Paul makes the audacious claim that he can do all things. He can endure all things. He can find satisfaction in any situation knowing that God has purpose for him in it. Whether his cup is plentiful and running over, or he is in the valley of the shadow of death, Paul knows he is in God’s hands — and that’s enough for him. Oh, that we Christians would have such a satisfaction in Christ!
Eternal Contentment in Glory
Because we are an idolatrous people. Calvin says that human hearts are basically a factory of idols. That we constantly are just looking for the next idol. Another way of putting it is that we’re born unceasingly outpouring, we have this incessant need to pour ourselves out to something for something. Now, in a sense, that’s good. We were created that way to worship God. But because of our sin, this pouring out is ever and always idolatry. But thanks to the redemption of Christ, perfected worship awaits us.
In other words, when we are perfected in the holy eternal state and we worship Christ, we will be doing that which we most desire in a contented fashion. That’s the way we should be thinking about eternal worship in the new heavens, and Earth, is that we will have this incessant desire to worship and we will be able to do it without any fear, without any pain, without any suffering, without any shame because we’ll be doing it perfectly before God who is perfect and that’s why we’ll be content. That’s why we’ll be satisfied. Glorification is perfect contentment.
The bookends of scripture give us a tale of two gardens, and a reminder that we await a return to Edenic purity and purpose, and yet in such a state as to never lose our standing before our Holy God. We long for this glory, but we still have sufficient grace and provision afforded us in this life. Our desire for perfection and freedom from sin should not lead us to greater sin and discontentment in the meantime.
A Pastoral Call
Pursue the rare jewel that is contentment. All the riches of Christ and His kingdom await us certainly, but the treasure of satisfaction in Chris is readily available now – avail yourself. Mine the riches of His Word, be frequent in prayer, and abundant in thanksgiving. Do you start each day thanking the Lord for breath in your lungs, a home, provision, employment? If not, then start there. Thankfulness is the enemy of discontent, wage war openly. But what if we are truly lacking? Friend, you cannot actually lack anything that you critically need.
God does in fact supply all that we need. I believe it was Elizabeth Elliot who said, “if you don’t have it, God doesn’t think you need it.” That is a humbling and satisfying thought. We have all that we truly need in our union with God, and even when good things are held back by the hand of our father in heaven, it is for our good and sanctification. May we learn to say with Paul, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:” If Paul can write this in prison, how much more can we declare it from the comforts of our homes? Christian, quit robbing yourself of the joy of Christ. Even if you were to lose your life, the Lord makes it great gain.
So, when you are tempted to lust, give thanks for your wife instead. If you are single, thank God for giving you a healthy desire and nature, and pray that you would be patient and grow in trust. When you are dissatisfied with your vocation, give thanks for God’s provision, and then put in the work to better your opportunities, never ceasing to give thanks. When you are tempted to curse God and ask why he takes all that you care about away from you, your loved ones, your career, your home in a fire…put your hand over your mouth and remember you have spoken too soon— the lord gives, and takes, and is forever blessed. Trust God, pursue contentment, be rich in Christ. He is worthy and will not forsake you.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19