We have all that we truly need in our union with God, and even when good things are held back by the hand of our Father in heaven, it is for our good and sanctification.

But godliness with contentment is great gain
—1 Timothy 6:6

Jeremiah Burroughs’ classic work The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment is one of those books that believers should put in their “to read regularly” rotation. It was pivotal in changing my paradigm for thinking about suffering, sanctification, and trust in God (who, as a Calvinist I gladly hail as sovereign). As a man who suffers chronic pain and who has held less-than-desirable employment in various stages of life, contentment has been a vital virtue to pursue and develop.

As a pastor, I frequently find myself speaking to this underlying issue: the discontentment of believers manifests itself in increasingly grievous sins. Beyond the obvious and varying forms of covetousness, even anger and deception, lust and pornography use, bitterness and anxiety find their root in discontentment and a lack of thanksgiving. These more visible sins being merely outward manifestations of the lack of peace within.

We will look at the theme of contentment through the framework of “Creation, Fall, Redemption, Glory,” as I strive to build a firm foundation from which to pursue this rare jewel.

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
—1 Thessalonians 5:18

Designed for Contentment in God

Humanity was created to worship God certainly, but this worship finds its impetus in a profound contentment in God that desires to express its thanksgiving to their Creator. God in creation provided all that man needed, including a helpmeet with whom he could enjoy all things. Adam and Eve, in their fall, can therefore be charged with a lack of contentment. They directly disobeyed the command of God, but as often is the case with sin, many others quickly followed suit and flowed from the initial sin.

In Creation, humanity was designed to be satisfied in God, satisfied in His provision, and contented in the work prepared for them to do. Part of eternal glory will be a perfect contentment and gratitude to God without the ability to fall into dissatisfaction. While we yet long for these perfected natures, we instinctively know that something is amiss. We know we were created for joy, peace, good work, and satisfaction. Notably, this is something the curse in Genesis 3 drives home.

Dissatisfaction: The Result of the Fall

Oh, that we could but convince men and women that murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!
—Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Following the fall of Adam and Eve, God curses the serpent, man, and woman according to their natures. Here we find the first promise of the Gospel in seed form, but functionally we see not only a dysfunction in the ability of Adam and Eve to live out their natures, but a formal disruption of their purposes. Eve, intended to be the mother of all humanity, now finds her childbirth declared to be with increased pain and travail. Adam, the lord and caretaker of all the Earth, now finds the dominion mandate all the more challenging through the introduction of thorns and other natural woes, disrupting the joyful and productive work Adam was made to complete.

Note, the Dominion Mandate is not revoked; it is now to be carried out through pain, suffering, sorrow, and labor. Dissatisfaction becomes a feature of fallen man. Our ability to combat our natural inclination to frustration and discontentment requires intervention by God Himself. So great is man’s fall. And we are like our first parents more than we care to admit.

At the root of many (if not most) sins is a profound lack of satisfaction in that which one possesses. This lack of contentment is not only sinful in itself, but compounds with a lack of faith or trust in God’s provision, or worse, fear and anxiety, or even cursing against God for one’s circumstances.

When we find ourselves discontented with an outcome, for example, we are not only saying to God, “your will is insufficient for me,” but also, “I don’t trust that you know what is best for me.” This attitude and disposition are precisely what Burroughs takes aim at in his writings and preaching. If contentment is a rare jewel, it is worth pursuing for a myriad of reasons. We must first recognize this inclination and seek the sanctifying work of the Spirit.

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