The Secret of Contentment

Contentment is one of the most difficult Christian virtues to attain. Almost four hundred years ago, Jeremiah Burroughs referred to the "rare jewel" of Christian contentment. It is safe to say that contentment is no more common in our day than it was in Burroughs'. Yet, it remains one of the most crucial virtues. A contented Christian is the one who best knows God's sovereignty and rests in it. A contented Christian trusts God, is pure in heart, and is the one most willing to be used of God — however God sees fit.

We live in a world that breeds discontent. We are bombarded with the message that to be happy we need more things, less wrinkles, better vacations, and fewer troubles. But, ultimately, the problem is the sinful human heart. We are often discontented in our jobs, our marriages, our churches, our homes — in most areas of our lives. We can easily despair that we will never be able to attain contentment. But the Bible teaches us not only that we must be content (Heb. 13:5), it teaches us that we can be content.

Continue reading The Secret of Contentment, William Barcley's contribution to the April issue of Tabletalk.