Waiting With Eager Contentment

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13, ESV)

Frustrated with Contentment

After I wrote my last blog post, I was thinking about a conversation I had with someone a few years ago. They were voicing their frustration with Christians who are always talking about the need to “be content.” They said, “I think Christians use contentment for an excuse to be lazy. Rather than working hard to bring about change in the world, they just walk around ‘content’ all the time.” 

He has a point. However, what he calls “contentment” I call “apathy,” but he is right that many Christians easily confuse contentment with apathy.

A Paradox?

In my last post, I spoke about our need to have an Eager Patience, always looking forward to the day when Christ will make all things new. Yet, the question comes up, “How can I be eagerly awaiting something better in the future and still be content right now?” That’s a great question. It’s a question that many Christians are wrestling with, although they probably don’t even know it. 

Easily Pleased, Never Satisfied

In thinking through this seeming paradox, I remembered something I was told about being a pastor. The man said, “A pastor must be easily pleased, but never satisfied.” 

To understand what this means, imagine a six-year-old child proudly bringing a drawing to their father. How is the father going to respond? Is he going to critique the shading and the angles and the use of negative space? No! They will say, “That’s great honey!” They will be easily pleased. However, they shouldn’t be satisfied with the drawing. They should desire for their child to improve in their skill and ability. They should be easily pleased, but never satisfied. 

Eager Contentment

I think this principle applies to the concept of our everyday lives. If we are going to wait with eager patience for what God has in store for the future, while still being content in our daily lives, we must learn to be easily pleased, but never satisfied.

As Paul says, we must learn to be content when facing hunger and need, yet we should not be satisfied to remain in those conditions—or leave anyone else in those conditions. We should work diligently to meet our needs and satisfy our hunger. We should work diligently to feed those who are hungry and support those who are in need. If we are not working in these ways, we are not content, we are apathetic. 

We should also eagerly await the day when Christ will make all things new, and bring about true justice, and there will no longer be hunger and need on the earth. This is where eager patience comes in. 

Yet, as we work diligently and wait longingly, we must still learn to be content in our working, waiting, and longing. We must be easily pleased, yet never satisfied. 

We must have an eager contentment as we diligently work in this world and patiently await the future work of God to make all things new.