Contentment

Contentment

How do I find true contentment in life?

God’s Response

“Brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have.” Genesis 33:9

Get rid of all bitterness. Ephesians 4:31

Esau had apparently learned to be content with what he had rather than to let his feelings fester over what he had lost. This was a process for Esau, for there was a time when he wanted to kill Jacob for his deceit (Genesis 27:41). Because life sometimes brings unpleasant circumstances our way, we will all feel cheated, angry, and frustrated at times. These emotions are natural (especially to our sinful nature), but if we hold on to them they turn into bitterness. Bitterness and contentment cannot coexist. We can prevent bitterness by being honest with God about how we feel, by forgiving those who wrong us, and by concentrating on God’s good gifts to us. Imagine the kind of man Esau would have been after so many years if he had never recovered from Jacob’s wrongdoing. Isn’t it a much better choice to forgive and move on?

God’s Challenge

To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20