Contentment Isn't a Destination

Contentment is something that we all want, but all too often it proves elusive. Can I ask you, in your life right now are you contented or, like an addict, do you find yourself constantly looking for the next hit? Kaji Naozumi was a little-known Japanese Christian samurai during the Tokugawa shogunate—a time when Christianity was brutally persecuted. After converting through Jesuit missionaries, he lost his status, his lands, and eventually his freedom. He was imprisoned and tortured for refusing to renounce his faith. Yet accounts from underground Christian communities record that Naozumi remained serene and steadfast. In prison, he shared food, encouraged others, and even sang hymns softly under his breath. Though surrounded by death and despair, he found deep contentment in Christ, knowing that his hope was eternal. If you know anything of the Apostle Paul's time in prison in the 1st Century AD, that may sound more than vaguely familiar. Here it is in Paul's own words: Philippians 4:11-13 I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens. I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do. You won't find contentment by chasing the perfect life, but by choosing to trust and delight in the Lord right where you are. Contentment isn't a destination; it's a choice. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.