Cultivating Contentment: The Excellencies of Biblical Contentment

Contentment is a rare and precious trait that offers countless benefits to Christians. In The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Jeremiah Burroughs describes it as a great art that must be learned and mastered. He writes, “To be well skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory, and excellence of a Christian.”

Contentment is such a beautiful disposition that even non-believers seek it. But what makes contentment so excellent? As we previously discussed, contentment is trusting and finding satisfaction in God’s providence that results in pleasure and sufficiency, regardless of our circumstances. We have also previously explored how we can unintentionally counterfeit this contentment and the consequences of not practicing it.

This post will delve into the excellencies of biblical contentment using insights from Burroughs’ timeless work. These excellencies will unveil the majesty of contentment that will inspire us to pursue it. As Andrew Davis says in The Power of Christian Contentment, “The more we prize contentment as a rare jewel of inestimable worth, the more we will pursue it and sacrifice in order to attain it, and the more vigorously we will fight every day to protect it from Satan’s attacks.”

Contentment is the soul’s worship. When we engage in acts such as praying, attending church, or reading the Bible, we outwardly worship God. But when we practice contentment, we worship God internally. We honor Him by humbling ourselves and accepting everything He gives us. Just as a dog accepts crumbs from its master, we should take whatever God provides and see it as an opportunity to worship Him. Consider Job, who still blessed the name of the Lord even after God afflicted him, or Paul, who praised God after being beaten and jailed. Their contentment during their trials was a profound act of worship; it proved they were pleased with God Himself.

Contentment is also a form of passive obedience. In active obedience, we do what pleases God, whereas in passive obedience, we find pleasure in what God does. Both forms of obedience are equally necessary to become mature Christians. 

Contentment is a tool through which God allows us to exercise His grace. Burroughs highlights four distinct ways we do this.

First, contentment makes us exercise many graces at once. It helps us practice Christian virtues like faith, humility, patience, self-control, peace, and joy. It is a compound grace that reflects the combined strength of all these virtues.

Second, contentment shows the strength of grace. When we remain steady and content despite hardships, it testifies to strong spiritual grace. Just as a person with physical strength can endure harsh conditions, a content spirit shows great spiritual strength by not being moved by life’s trials.

Third, contentment exhibits the beauty of grace. The beauty of grace shines through when we endure suffering without complaint, despair, or anger towards God. Seeing a soul suffering yet praising the One who put him there is wondrous.

And fourth, the grace of contentment allows believers to find peace, even amid life’s greatest challenges. This peace reflects Christ’s peace, who remained unperturbed and slept during a storm.

Contentment makes us fit to receive God’s overflowing mercies. A content heart is like a still vessel in which God can freely pour His blessings. In contrast, a discontent heart is akin to a restless vessel that cannot receive anything because of its constant shaking. We must have quiet hearts if we want God to pour mercy into us.

Contentment not only readies the soul for mercy, but it also makes it fit to serve God effectively. A steady, peaceful heart is essential for doing God’s work. Just as motion requires an immovable foundation (e.g., a wheel on a stationary axle), spiritual movement in service to God requires a steady, grounded heart. Hence, when God has a significant task for His servants, He first brings their spirits into a calm, content state before setting them to work. This state allows believers to focus on their service without distractions.

A discontent heart is a breeding ground for temptations. As Burroughs says, “The devil loves to fish in troubled waters.” The devil targets discontent hearts, tempting them to take shortcuts, compromise their morals, or fall into sin in pursuit of their desires. But contentment guards our hearts and minds against such attacks. Just as a wall resists a dart, a contented spirit resists the devil’s temptations. A man content with his lot is less likely to be swayed by material desires, external pressures, or the promises of more. But people who lack contentment are more susceptible to spiritual ruin, especially in hardship.

Contentment gladdens the heart and makes a man’s life sweet and peaceful. It is a protective grace that sustains our joy and peace, regardless of circumstances. Burroughs provides three reasons for this comfort.

First, contentment provides independence. Content people enjoy what they have without relying on others or external circumstances for comfort. Second, God’s love enhances contentment. When God elevates a content person, they experience more ease and assurance of His love than someone who receives blessings while discontent. And third, contentment preserves comfort in hardships. Like a sailor’s lantern in a storm, contentment keeps the light of comfort alive even during difficult times. It allows a person to maintain peace despite the storms of life.

Contentment offers a distinct comfort that exceeds the comfort of discontented desires. It allows us to experience joy and comfort from things we do not own. Much like distilling herbs to enjoy their essence without physically having them, contentment permits us to savor the blessings of life without owning everything we desire.

This contentment comes from God’s grace, not external circumstances. God uses contentment to shape our hearts to be satisfied in Him rather than our possessions. And when we rely on God’s providence, we experience a more profound joy than we could ever gain from material wealth. Even under challenging conditions, a content heart will always rejoice and praise God. This is a more excellent gift than material possession, as it brings peace and glory to God.

Contentment enriches our lives by allowing us to enjoy God’s provisions well. Many people have possessions without experiencing joy, but contentment frees us to enjoy what we have fully. It is also a blessing as it aligns our hearts with our circumstances, enhancing our ability to find peace and joy amid life’s troubles. 

Contentment leads to God’s rewards, whether it be our desires or equivalent blessings. Just as God rewards the willingness to do good, He also rewards the willingness to suffer or go without certain comforts. We have all kinds of riches with contentment because God will reward us for whatever good thing we are content to be without. Therefore, there is no true loss in being content because God will compensate for any perceived lack in this life or eternity.

To be content means being self-sufficient in oneself. Self-sufficiency and happiness in oneself are great glory to God because they bring us closer to Him by reflecting His self-sufficiency. Just as God is entirely sufficient in Himself, a content person reaches an excellence similar to God’s nature by being self-sufficient and fulfilled, regardless of external circumstances. As God is not reliant on any of His creatures to be happy, even if all things were lost, a content person would remain at peace because they find sufficiency in God alone.

I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me. Though I have not outward comforts and worldly conveniences to supply my necessities, yet I have a sufficient portion between Christ and my soul abundantly to satisfy me in every condition.

Jeremiah Burroughs

True Christian contentment is a precious treasure that brings deep peace, strength, joy, and intimacy with God. Its excellency lies not only in the grace it imparts but also in how it shapes us to reflect the character of Christ. Contentment is a gift and discipline that we must actively cultivate. So, the next post will explore practical steps to attain and cultivate biblical contentment.