Be Satisfied with What You Have

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.”

—ANONYMOUS

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you.

—Hebrews 13:5

The affluence of our Western culture has created an epidemic of coveting what everyone else has. People crave more and more, yet they don’t enjoy what they already possess. A simple person is a satisfied person; they don’t crave more of anything, but they do thoroughly enjoy what they have. They trust that more will come in due time.

Does “more” have the ability to make us happy as the world wants us to believe? The answer is No! In fact, the more we have, the more work we must do to take care of it. We may think “more” makes life easier, but in reality, it often complicates the day-to-day. The tenth commandment tells us not to covet; we aren’t to want what others have. Paul states in Philippians 4:11 that he learned how to be content no matter what his circumstances were. Even hearing that statement reminds me of simplicity and ministers comfort to me.

There’s nothing wrong with having things, but it is wrong to lust after them. When we feel we cannot be happy without something, we are lusting after it. We should develop the habit of asking God for what we want, and believe He will give it to us if, and when, it is right. This simple approach to life sets us free to enjoy life. Life is the journey, not the destination. Those who want to enjoy life must learn to enjoy the journey, which is filled with waiting. Eventually, we reach our destination only to begin again on a new journey to another place; therefore, to never enjoy the journey is to never enjoy life. Make a decision to begin thoroughly enjoying what you have. Thank God for it and be content.