I searched for quotes on contentment and came across various interesting views on this topic. Here are a few:
“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.”
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“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
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“At some point, you gotta let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you.”
― Eat, Pray, Love
“[F]or just one second, look at your life and see how perfect it is. Stop looking for the next secret door that is going to lead you to your real life. Stop waiting. This is it: there’s nothing else. It’s here, and you’d better decide to enjoy it or you’re going to be miserable wherever you go, for the rest of your life, forever.”
― The Magicians
“All I know is that I’ve wasted all these years looking for something, a sort of trophy I’d get only if I really, really did enough to deserve it. But I don’t want it anymore, I want something else now, something warm and sheltering, something I can turn to, regardless of what I do, regardless of who I become. Something that will just be there, always, like tomorrow’s sky. That’s what I want now, and I think it’s what you should want too. But it will be too late soon. We’ll become too set to change. If we don’t take our chance now, another may never come for either of us.”
― When We Were Orphans
“I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.”
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Paul the Apostle writing to Timothy notes:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ” 1 Timothy 6:6 NIV
Jesus taught the disciples and the crowds:
25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?
31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.
34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.” Matthew 6: 25-34 TLB
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 NIV
King Solomon wrote:
“Better a little with righteousness
than great income with injustice.” Proverbs 16:8 HCSB
It is of interest to note that contentment, real, true contentment lies not within accomplishments, status or things but rather in knowing that it is well with one’s soul, knowing that God takes care of you and has tomorrow in His hands. God has nothing against us possessing material blessings and finances and accomplishing great things. In fact He anoints us and give us the gifts, talents and abilities we have. True contentment is peace and joy found in a loving relationship with Christ Jesus…
Stay blessed and content,
Pr. Paddick van Zyl
Laus Deo Ministires Int.
Laus Deo Ministries Int. 