by Elder Peter Lim

When I was a boy, I remember first wanting to be a professional baseball player playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. My heroes included Steve Garvey and Bill Buckner. When it became apparent that I didn’t have the skills for it, I wanted to be a fighter pilot for either the Navy or the Air Force. The recruiter told me that because of my poor eyesight and tall height, I wouldn’t be allowed to fly a fighter plane but I may be eligible to fly cargo planes or helicopters. I wasn’t interested in those things so I decided to pursue computer science instead since I loved to play video games.

When we are young, we are told that we can be anything, that if we pursue our dreams, there’s nothing out of reach. As we grow older, we realize that’s less and less true. First of all, we are limited by our talents and opportunities that may or may not come our way. But in addition to that, we are limited by the values that we form. As Christians we understand rather early on in our spiritual journey that our lives are now about serving Christ and living in accordance with Biblical values. Of course we do this voluntarily and with gladness because we understand that our joy is found in serving the One who died for our sins. We’d like to think that we can be satisfied with that but truth be told, we may find ourselves being dissatisfied with our lot in life. We begin to wonder whether there is something more that we can be or do. We may see our friends, whether Christian or not, become more “successful” and seemingly enjoy lives that are better than our own. We may experience discontentment.

I’ve noticed in older, more mature Christians that they have a quality of contentment in whatever circumstances they are in. They understand that God has sovereignly directed their lives and that each situation is an opportunity to glorify God. Sometimes this happens during difficult circumstances and sometimes it’s during easier times. Their satisfaction is found in Christ alone. This is different than being satisfied by the status quo which implies that they are lazy and/or uncaring about what happens. The mature believer appreciates the mundane things of life and embraces every opportunity. The immature tend to become discontent with different aspects of life.

Discontentment with Your Church

After attending the same church for a while, even those who were once excited to grow can become so used to it that they start taking it for granted that their church actually preaches the gospel. The immature also take it for granted that fellow brothers and sisters actually care for each other. This is a dangerous time as they can turn into a bible “junkie” meaning that their intake of biblical facts only serve to fill their ammunition belts so that they can win arguments or only apply the message to others. The mature believer can take the same message and understand that they must first apply it to themselves and be convicted all over again over their sinfulness and the glory of the gospel before even considering how they can use that knowledge to help or correct others.

Discontentment with Your Pastor

Like church, an immature person can become so familiar with their pastor that they may start taking him for granted. Especially in today’s connected world, good teaching is available on various media including our phone. It’s easy to compare their local pastor with John MacArthur, Albert Mohler or John Piper. We are spoiled in this day and age. But they won’t do your wedding. They won’t do your funeral. They don’t even know your name. The mature believer can appreciate good teaching from world-class preachers but they realize that God has placed their local pastor to care for and pray for and shepherd them. The mature believer takes special care to show their appreciation for their pastor who may often feel inadequate. After all, we don’t get to see the details of the more famous pastors’ personal lives like we do our own pastor’s life.

Discontentment with Your Job

The immature is often led astray as they pursue exciting careers that pay as much as they can get. Little thought is given to how this job is just a means to funding God’s will of spreading the gospel. They live as if they need to enjoy life to the fullest and that they are entitled to every luxury as a blessing from God. The mature understand that their life in this world is temporary and that an inflated concern over building bigger barns (Luke 12:18) is not only foolish but can lead to all sorts of sins (1 Tim. 6:9-10).

Discontentment with Your Life

With the rise of social media, many share the best of their lives with the rest of the world by posting pictures and fun activities, great food, beautiful circumstances, and so on. They often don’t mean to boast about such things but some see those kind of postings and start wishing that their lives were as wonderful as other people’s lives. This can lead to discontentment. The mature believer is satisfied because their happiness is found in Christ alone and understand that living a Godly life will often include the mundane things in life, such as making trips to Costco and Target. It may include raising kids and dealing with bad attitudes and fixing toilets and weeding the garden. It may require serving in-laws who bad-mouth you behind your back, being patient when wronged, financially helping out extended family members who are unreasonable, or trying to make peace with someone who is slandering you. The mature believer sees the big picture and a Godly perspective which shows that seemingly bad situations are not as bad as we thought and those things that bring us happiness (such as getting into the college of our choice, landing our dream job, or buying the latest new iGadget) pale in comparison to the joy of serving Christ.

It is my sincere hope that you can reflect on every aspect of your life and be able to give thanks to God for your current situation (or predicament). Remember that God is good, sovereign, and loves you. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also that we may be able to endure it. (1 Cor. 10:13) Note that He doesn’t promise to remove the temptation, but rather promises that we would be able to endure through it. I want to leave you with some verses that help us to remember to be content no matter what.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:10-13)

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. (1 Tim. 6:6-8)

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:10)