1 TIMOTHY 5:6-8 – But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE SIN OF DISCONTENTMENT. It ranks high on sins that Christians may allow to exist in their lives. It made Jerry Bridges’ list of “respectable sins” in his book, Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate. In fact, Bridges gave the whole of chapter nine to the sin of discontentment. However, he made a wise distinction. There is a “good” discontentment a Christian is to have as well as sinful discontentment. In the opening of chapter nine, he wrote, “Before we get into the subject, however, I want to acknowledge that there is a place for legitimate discontentment. All of us should, to some degree, be discontent with our spiritual growth. If we are not, we will stop growing.”
On the topic of sinful discontentment, Bridges penned these words, “Whatever situation tempts us to be discontent, and however severe it may be, we need to recognize that discontentment is sin. That statement may surprise many readers. We are so used to responding to difficult circumstances with anxiety, frustration, or discontentment that we consider them normal reactions to the varying vicissitudes of life. But if we tend to think this way, that just points out to us the subtleness and acceptability of these sins. When we fail to recognize these responses to our circumstances as sin, we are responding no differently from unbelievers who never factor God into their situations. We are back to our ungodliness as the root cause of sin.”
So, why is this easily tolerated sin so serious in the eyes of God? Let’s consider three reasons. First, the sin of discontentment tells God, “Your Son, the Lord Jesus, is not enough to satisfy all my deepest longings in life.” When we live with a heart of discontentment, we are devaluing the Lord Jesus and the power of His grace to produce contentment in our lives. We basically are “slapping the Divine Face.” And this will be seen by our seeking to be contented in people of the world and material things of the world. Many professing Christians have compromised truth either with unequally yoked relationships or racking up huge debt in the quest for contentment apart from Jesus. Those roads are dead ends and always deepen the sin of discontent in our lives.
Another reason why the sin of discontentment is so serious before God is that it displays rebellion against His sovereign will unfolding in our lives. God has placed us where we are, with whom we are, in what situation we are, and He has said, “All things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). The sin of discontentment says to God, “I really don’t believe my situation, this relationship, or where I am is for my good. I will be more contented if I have my will and way.” What an affront to a good and wise God!
A third reason making the sin of discontentment something bringing great displeasure to God is that it misrepresents His Son to a watching world. There are at least two devilish attitudes found in our culture. I am sure there are more, but the unbelieving world is marked by sinful complaining about anything and anyone as well as this sin of discontentment. How confusing for Christians to proclaim to know God through Christ, and yet, live and act with complaining and discontented hearts. We give the world a false Christ while saying we know the true Christ. And this is a serious offense before the true living God who sent us into the world to represent, not misrepresent, His Son.
In winding down today’s nugget, let me encourage us to do two things. First, read the New Testament epistle to the Philippians. It teaches us contentment in the Lord. Then, buy and read Bridges’ book on respectable sins. Both will be big helps in battling against the easily tolerated sin of discontentment.
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for too many times I allow a discontented world make me have a discontented heart.”
QUOTE: “Discontentment is no little matter. It tells us much about our attitudes toward God and the things of this world.”