Joyce Meyer - Contentment

I want you just to come on in here and get cozy and get comfortable, and we’re gonna just have a chat about something that I think is very important. I would like to ask you, «Are you content»? Just think about it. You know, there’s some people, and I used to be one of 'em, no matter what I had, there was always something else that I wanted, that I thought would satisfy me. And then if I got that, I still wasn’t content. And I believe that it glorifies God when we’re content. The apostle Paul said he had, «Learned how to be content».

And contentment doesn’t mean that you never wanna see a change. You may have things in your life that you wanna see change. But contentment means that you’re satisfied to the point where you’re not disturbed, no matter what your circumstances are. You can want change, but still be thankful and satisfied with where you’re at. And, you know, discontentment is just a very unhappy way to live. It’s like this low level, «I want something. I don’t know what it is. I want to do something. I don’t know what I wanna do».

You know, it’s just awful. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that, «Godliness with contentment is of great gain». Now, just think about it with me, how wonderful it would be to just be content. And that means you’re gonna have to be content on days when all your circumstances are kind of lousy. And Paul said he’d learned how to be content whether he was abased or abounding. And you know why? Because he trusted God. And you know, as Christians, we talk a lot about trusting God. But if it is just talk and it’s not something we’re practicing, it’s not really gonna do us any good. And I do think it’s something that you learn as you spend years with God. It’s not something that you receive Christ and then five minutes later you’re content about everything, or you trust God about everything.

I think trusting God comes by experience of beginning to trust him maybe in little things and you see him be faithful, and so then you can trust him in something else. And you know, I would say for me, and I’ve been a serious student of the Word of God for about 48 years. I’ve been teaching the word for 48 years, that it’s probably only been in the last few years, that I have come to a point where I really feel that I can trust God in almost anything, because I’ve tried doing it myself and I know it doesn’t work. I’ve tried running to other people and they’re not really able to help me. Most of the people we run to, to fix our lives don’t even know how to fix their own.

And so, you learn to go to God and you learn to trust that if you ask him for something, he’ll either give it to you, or if he doesn’t, then you trust that he has something better in mind for you. Trusting God is the only way that you’re ever gonna have real peace. And I know right now you might be saying, «Well, I’m trying to trust God». And to be honest, that’s usually the way we start. We try, but I think there has to come a humility that says, «I know, that I know, that I know, that I cannot do this myself, only God can do it». In Galatians, I think it is, it says to, «Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you, casting all your care on him, because he cares for you».

So humility means that we don’t worry, we don’t try to fix problems ourself, because we’ve had enough experience to know that we cannot. And can I just tell you, if nobody’s ever told you, «You cannot solve your own problems». Now, maybe there’s some things here and there that you can fix, but you’re gonna need God’s help. I’ve taught thousands and thousands of times, and I did not sit down in this chair without asking God to help me. You need to learn that you need God’s help, and you need it all the time. To always feel discontented is a miserable place to be. I lived in discontentment for many years. And to find freedom from discontentment and enjoy satisfaction, we must get to the root cause of the discontentment. Wanting more than what God is giving you will cause discontentment.

Now, you can want things, but you need to also be satisfied where you’re at, trusting that for right now, wherever you’re at, is exactly where God wants you to be. Comparing yourself with other people, and feeling that you are less or have less than they do, comparison always makes you discontent. Because the enemy’s always gonna put somebody in front of you that’s better than you, looks better than you, is smarter than you, is more talented than you. But you don’t really have to worry about any of that because God has created us, and given us what we need for what he wants us to do. And you know, when this is all over, and it will be, each of us is gonna stand before God and give an account of our lives. And you’re only gonna have to account for you. You’re not gonna have to account for anybody else.

And so we should be happy for the gifts that God’s put in other people, and be satisfied with what he’s given us. Some people have an entitlement attitude and that can really make you discontented. Entitlement has become a big thing today. An entitlement mentality is defined as: a sense of deservingness or being owed a favor, when little or nothing has been done to deserve the special treatment. We see it. I love all of our employees. I’m not trying to bash any of them. But it’s interesting to me what people expect when they come to work for you now, compared to what I expected when I was their age. Now, I know times change. But sometimes people just make too many demands, and it gets hard to keep people happy.

Now, we could start by being happy that we have a job at all, because there’s a lot of people that don’t have one. It’s a you-owe-me attitude. Entitlement can become a narcissistic personality. And a narcissist is someone who has an excessive interest in themselves. They admire themselves a little bit too much. They think the world should revolve around them. A narcissist is selfish and self-centered. Now another thing that will cause discontentment is unrealistic expectations. This is a teaching that I got a hold of 10, 15 years ago and I really learned a lot from it. Because, let’s just say maybe somebody you know is having a party, and you expect that you’re gonna get invited, but you don’t.

Well, it’s not really that you didn’t get invited that makes you discontent. It’s the fact that you expected to get invited, and didn’t, and that makes you discontent. Sometimes we expect, I know, I used to expect Dave to just read my mind, I guess. You know, it was like, well, can’t you tell I’m hurting? Can’t you tell I’m upset? And he’s not the type that pays attention to that kind of stuff. He’s happy and he’s like, «Well, if you need something, tell me». And I didn’t wanna tell him. I wanted him to realize that I needed something. I expected him to do something that he couldn’t do, and it ended up making me discontent. Being grateful for what you have. Being ungrateful for what you have, while focusing on what you don’t have, is gonna cause you a lot of trouble, a lot of problems.

I think there’s two things that can help you be content. Number one is gratitude. Oh, we need to be so much more thankful than what we are. Just take even five minutes a day and just think, «You have Jesus. My goodness, you’re not gonna go to hell. You’re gonna live for eternity. God loves you. He’s got a good plan for your life. You have a house to live in. You have a job, you have friends, you have food to eat». I mean, you need to go to some of the places I’ve been in my lifetime on the mission field, and you come home very thankful.

And the second thing we need is to trust God. That’s the only way you’re ever gonna be content is to trust God that what you have right now, is exactly what he wants you to have. And whenever it’s time for you to have more, he will give you more. Discontent means not satisfied, unhappy, or a sense of resentment. You know, when we’re discontented and we resent what other people have. Always, always, always wanting more, more, more, more, more, more. Trust God. God is faithful, and we should trust him enough to believe that he will always give us the right thing at the right time. And I do believe that. I believe that God will give me the right thing at the right time. I want you to listen to this scripture, Hebrews 13:5 in the Amplified Bible. This is such an awesome scripture. «Let your character or moral disposition be free from the love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] And be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]…»

And somebody’s probably thinking, there is no way that I can be satisfied with what I’ve got right now. Well, yeah, you really can. If you believe that where you’re at right now, that God is with you and he’s working on your situation, it may not be pleasant, but think about the fact that it will end well if you keep a good attitude. «For he [God] Himself has said,» now listen to this. «'i will not fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.'» this is for you. «'[i will] Not, [i will] Not, [i will] Not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] Down (or relax my hold on you)! [most assuredly not]'»!

You know, that scripture’s gotta cheer somebody up today. I mean, maybe you’re in a position where a loved one has died, and now all of a sudden, you’ve got all these things that you don’t know how to handle. Well, God says, «Don’t worry about it». «I’m not gonna leave you». «I’m not gonna leave you stranded». «I’m gonna take care of you». We often think we’re ready for more money, promotion, power, than we are. «Well, I’m ready, God, I’m ready». And we’re not. God knows the right timing to promote us. How about this? Ask God not to give you anything before you’re mature enough to handle it properly, and keep him first place in your life. I pray that on a pretty regular basis. «God, don’t give me anything that if I have it, it would keep me from keeping you first place in my life».

And you know, sometimes if you have too much stuff, tending to it does take you away from God. Proverbs 30:7-9, I love what David prayed. «Two things I ask of you, Lord: please do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies away from me: and give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread». Well, I don’t know too many people that are praying that. «Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'who is the Lord'? Or I may become poor and steal, and dishonor your name…'» he said, «I don’t want so much that it’s gonna cause me to forget you. And that’s one of the things that God told the Israelites when he was bringing them through the wilderness». He said, «I’m bringing you into a good land, but when you get there, if you forget me, you will go back where you came from».

And so often we can remember God when we want something, but when we get it, then we forget all about him. Do you love God just as much in the hard times as you do in the good times? Nothing can satisfy us completely but God. And don’t be surprised as you go through this life, if you always kind of feel like something’s missing, or that you’re not totally content. You know why? You’re not created for this world. You’re just passing through. We are created for eternity. And until we get there, I don’t think we’re ever gonna be 100% satisfied. But I don’t have to be discontent with what God is giving me in my life right now. I love this scripture, Psalm 17:5. «As for me, I will continue beholding your face in righteousness, (rightness, justice, and right standing with you):» now listen to this. «I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] Beholding your form [and having sweet communion with you]».

When you come to the point in your walk with God where when you wake up, he is the first thing you think of, you’re going to be mature enough that you’re content in what God is giving you. Psalm 27:4, was a life changer for me when God really showed me what it meant. «One thing I ask of the Lord». «One thing I ask of the Lord, and that will I seek, that I might dwell [in your presence] And behold your beauty all the days of my life». And the Lord asked me, «Joyce, are you seeking one thing»? Well no, I was seeking all kinds of things. And God challenged me one time, «Don’t ask me for anything except more of me until I release you to do so». And it was about six months, every time I would start to ask for something, I would just feel almost like I was choking on the words, and I would say, «Never mind God, I just need more of you».

And you know, really, that’s what you need. You just need more of God. You don’t need to have a bigger house, you don’t, you know, I mean maybe you do, I don’t know. But is it something you really need or just something you want? How many pair of shoes do you have you don’t wear? I know I’ve got some. How many clothes do you have that you haven’t had on in three years? Sometimes I’ll put something on and Dave will say, «Oh, is that new»? And I say, «No, I’ve had it three years». We need to realize how blessed we are, and be thankful for what we have. Mary and Martha, the story of them in Luke 10. Jesus had gone to their house to eat, and Martha welcomed him into the house, but she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

«But Martha was much distracted with much serving, and she went up to him and said, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to get up and help me'. And he said, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But Mary has chosen the good portion, the part that will never be taken away from her'». Martha was trying to impress everybody with her perfect house, and then she was mad at Mary because Mary wasn’t helping her do it. And we get like that sometimes, don’t we? Our priorities are out of line, and then we get mad at the people who have their priorities straightened out. Let’s talk for a minute about abandonment, and not from the standpoint of you being abandoned, but abandoning yourself to God.

What does that mean? That means that you say, «God, here I am I’m yours. Whatever you wanna do, you do. I want your will and not mine. And if I ask you for anything that you don’t want me to have, please don’t give it to me. Don’t give it to me, if it’s not your will». You know, there’s two things, two words you can never use, if you really intend to obey God, and that is, «No, Lord». Because if he is your Lord, it will always be, «Yes, Lord,» no matter what he asks you to do. Why don’t you just agree to an eternal, «Yes»?

Make your mind up that any time God asks you to do something it’s gonna be, «Yes, Lord, if you help me do it, I’ll do it». Abandoning yourself to God is a trust that goes beyond reason. It goes beyond understanding and can say, «God is in control, he has a plan, and he loves me». I’m not speaking of some fatalistic attitude that says, «Well, whatever will be, will be». No, you can ask for things and pray for things and desire things, but always end it up with, «Your will be done». Now, you know, we don’t have to pray that about promises in the Word of God. We already know that God wants all men to be saved, so I don’t have to say, «Save him, if it’s your will».

But there’s many things we ask for that we don’t have any idea if it’s God’s will or not. It’s just something we want, we want God to give it to us. Paul, there’s a discourse in 2 Corinthians 4, I’m gonna try to read you a few of these scriptures, and I’d really like you to try and listen. «We are hedged in (and pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed: we suffer embarrassments and we’re perplexed and unable to find a way out, but we’re not driven to despair».

So what’s he saying? He’s saying, «Man, we have got some serious problems, but we’re not gonna let it get us down». «We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]: we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed». And then if you go all the way over to verse 16, it says, «Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Even though our outer man is [progressively] Decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] Renewed day by day».

And I can tell you that’s where I’m at. You know, I was 81 this year, and I don’t feel like that, because I’m still young at heart. I have hopes and dreams, and I’m doing something that I feel is fruitful. And I love my family. So, your body can get older, but you can still be renewed day by day in your inward man. And you know, that’s really where your life’s at anyway. It’s not your outer life, it’s your inner life. I think sometimes we have two lives, the one we live in our mind, and the one that we live in reality. It’s amazing what a positive attitude in negative circumstances will do. He said, «Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen». So, he’s saying, «I’m not staring at my circumstances, I’m looking at the things I can’t see, the spiritual things that I know God has promised me».

Contentment requires an understanding of trials. And sometimes trials are just testing, they’re just a test of your faith. 1 Peter 1:6 and 7 says that. 1 Peter 4:12 says that. It’s just a test of faith. In James 1:2-4, says that when we have many different kinds of trials, we should rejoice knowing that the trials are gonna prove our faith and bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. Well, I can tell you, they brought a lot of stuff out of me before we got around to that. I think I’m there now, but man, they brought out nasty attitudes and jealousy and all kinds of stuff. And they were things that I needed to see so I could repent of them, and ask God to help me get over them. So pay attention to how you act when you have trials and tribulations. Can you stay faithful? Can you stay peaceful? Can you stay content? Can you stay in faith? Another thing you need to be content with is yourself. How do you get along with yourself? Learn how to enjoy where you’re at on the way to where you’re going. God is changing you day by day, if you’re studying the word.

Philippians 1:6 says, «I’m convinced and sure of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you is well able to complete it and bring it to its finish». Why don’t you start celebrating every little victory you have instead of moaning and groaning over how far you still have to go? I wanna pray for you right now. I pray for you if you are discontent, if you have a tendency to go in that direction when things don’t go right. I pray that God will take some of what I’ve said today and it will really impact your life. And you will say, «God, I trust you so much that I’m content where I’m at, even though it’s uncomfortable. And I can’t say that I wouldn’t rather be somewhere else. I’m content with you, Lord, because I know you love me, and I love you, and I know that things in my life will improve». In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for being with me today. And I pray that you’ll tune in again tomorrow.