Our circumstances might be different, but we are all struggling with contentment.
Regardless of the season of life we’re in, many of us can honestly say that something is lacking. If I just had ______ then all would be okay.
John 6 is one of my favorite chapters in Scripture and it speaks directly to contentment. This is that famous chapter where Jesus feeds five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The circumstances were dire. People were hungry. There wasn’t enough to go around. And by what the eye could see, nothing was going to change the facts.
But we know that wasn’t the end of the story. Jesus in fact fed five thousand people.
What the people had, He multiplied.
He satisfied and fulfilled them with what only seemed like nothing.
He took their circumstance and created abundance from it.
Can He not do that for you and me?
I am convinced that in pursuing and studying God’s word, we will be able to find contentment with where God has us. Without knowing these stories, without allowing the living and active word of God (Hebrews 4:12) to change who we are, without devoting our lives to being filled by the One who created us… we will never be content. We will always be searching. We will always be longing for something more.
It’s not enough to simply read devotions or follow other Christians on social media.
It’s not enough to watch sermons online or throw up prayers as you fall asleep.
I know that’s hard to hear, but it’s true.
This battle for contentment that we fight daily takes much more than the Instagram bible and what someone else says about Jesus.
The battle for contentment must begin where the story unfolds. It must begin in the only tangible thing God has left for us. He gave us His words in order that we might be able to know, love, and share Him with others. Through our devotion to Scripture, we begin to see who God is and are able to worship Him because of it.
Our contentment in life cannot be dependent on what God has given us. If we find ourselves constantly discontent, maybe it’s because we worship God for what He gives and not for who He is. And I believe that makes all the difference.
Three easy ways to incorporate studying God’s word in your life:
1.
Choose a time. Schedule it in your calendar. This might feel stale, but there is nothing more important to add to your calendar than time in the Word with God. Maybe it’s early in the morning before your kids wake or on your lunch break or at night when the house is quiet. It doesn’t matter when. Just pick a time and stick to it.
2.
Choose a book to study. It truly doesn’t matter which book you study. The point is that you are committed to reading the actual Word of God, and not just what someone else has to say about the Word of God. Pick a gospel or the Psalms and read through whatever you choose slowly. There is no rush. You don’t need the latest devotion or Christian book. Start with His Word and go from there.
3.
Choose someone to hold you accountable. Maybe you ask a friend to read through James together. Or you simply tell someone you’re committing to reading the Word every day and have them ask you about what you’re reading. Accountability goes a long way and will help you to process what you’re learning and actually stick with it.
Logan Hahn
Logan is a part of our Christ’s Church family and also happens to be married to Spencer, our Men’s Discipleship Minister. She loves writing and reading and raising lovely little women.
Pictured here with her husband, Spencer, and daughters, Campbell, Everett, and Gritton.
