Contentment Is Great Gain

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

An NBA superstar made the news for an unexpected reason: He drives a 21-year-old vehicle. That’s not what anyone would expect. What should a multi-millionaire basketball player be driving? Whatever is new and fast and expensive… Not this guy. He drives around town in his old, beat-up car.

He’s learned the truth of these words in the Bible: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” To be content with food and clothing—and an old vehicle—is great gain! 

Why? Because we brought nothing into this world. Each of us was born naked. And we can take nothing out of this world. Graves don’t have closets for all your stuff, just your dead body. If we came into this world with nothing, and if we’re going to leave with nothing, godliness with contentment is great gain!

That’s easier said than done. Our sinful hearts struggle with contentment. It seems like the grass is always greener everywhere else. It seems like our lives would be better if we had more and accomplished more and got praised more and seemed more important in everyone else’s eyes. Does that discontentment ever bring us happiness? No! Does our discontentment ever bring us peace? No!

So consider this: The opposite of discontentment is gratitude. The best way to turn discontentment upside-down is to think of all that we have to be grateful for. Like what? Where do we start? First, we have food and clothing. What a blessing! But we have so much more, don’t we? From houses and cars to God’s forgiveness and love to eternal life waiting for us in heaven. Can we be content with that? Yes!

Godliness with contentment is great gain. Your worth doesn’t come from the kind of car you drive or the brand of clothes you wear or how impressive you look in the mirror. It comes from your Savior Jesus who was willing to give up everything for you to make you his own. There is no greater gain than finding contentment in Jesus, even with a 21-year-old car!

Dear heavenly Father, every good gift in life comes from you. Forgive us for our constant discontentment. Instead, fill us with the contentment that comes from gratitude for your grace. Amen.

Pastor Nathan