The truth is that no matter how many possessions we have, how much people love us, or whatever good health we enjoy, our sinful natures will always desire more: more stuff, more adventures, more relationships, more admiration, longer life, the list goes on. The more we realize Christ is all we need, the more we will be able to rest in what God has for us right now.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. — Hebrews 13:5

Finding contentment can often seem like chasing the end of a rainbow. You feel like you’re getting closer to it and then the end seems just a little further away.

Perhaps we would like to improve our living situation is some way but don’t have the money to make it happen. Or maybe we want a certain relationship with someone but some circumstance is impeding the connection. We want good health but encounter one medical issue after another or find ourselves enduring a long term illness with no known healing in sight.

Just the Fact That Someone Else Has Something Can Make That Something More Desirable to Us

Recently my daughter was observing two young children at play. Once one of the children started playing with a small toy car, the other child wanted to play with that very car. Five minutes earlier the toy had been of no interest to either child. This scenario is a likely familiar one to anyone who is around little ones on a regular basis.

Adults often aren’t much different from children in that respect, although we usually do a better job of hiding our covetousness. Much of our discontent arises from seeing something attractive or useful that other people have and then wanting it for ourselves. And just like the children vying with each other for the toy car, the fact that someone else has something can make that something desirable to us.

The Apostle Paul Learned To Be Content, and We Can As Well

The problem isn’t with the “somethings” if they are good things; rather, the problem is with our minds and hearts. The new life we have in Christ is in conflict with the old sinful nature we inherited from Adam. Our sinful flesh lusts for more and more of whatever appeals to us; yet, God’s word tells us that we are not to let such desires rule over us:

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Rom. 6:12-14)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

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