Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”— Hebrews 13:5
A life of contentment carries many rewards, yet it remains a real struggle for many. We can look at David who longed to be king and was finally rewarded when he became king (2 Samuel 5:4). He had started out as a nobody—a shepherd boy, the youngest of Jesse’s seven sons, left behind to run errands for his brothers at war. After he killed Goliath, Saul took him in, only to grow threatened by him. David had to flee into exile as Saul sought to kill him. At one point he “pretended to be insane… and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13). Such was his desperate situation.
Eventually David overcame Saul. He married a princess, Michal, and settled in a palace surrounded by attendants. One might expect a man who had come so far to be deeply satisfied with his new life. Yet one of the greatest failings of human nature is how quickly we forget where we have come from and begin to demand more. For example, the Israelites who, after being delivered from Pharaoh’s oppression, quickly forgot their past sufferings and turned against Moses: “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!’” (Numbers 14:2).
The once-exiled and poor David, now king, soon took another man’s wife and arranged for her husband’s death. God did not take this lightly. Through the prophet Nathan He rebuked David: “I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more” (2 Samuel 12:8).
Just as with David, God has lifted many of us from very low places. For some there was a time when we were not sure of the next meal. We walked to every meeting because that was all we could afford. We felt alone and yearned for a partner and children. God heard our prayers and granted the desires of our hearts. Yet once our needs were met, we have forgotten where we came from. We grumble. Sometimes we even disobey the One who brought us this far.
David’s folly was his failure to appreciate God and remain content with what he had been given. Scripture reminds us, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
Reflection: Do I live a contented life in light of how far God has brought me?
Prayer: Almighty Father God, I thank You for how far You have brought me. Help me live a life of contentment that honours You and is full of thanksgiving. This I pray in Jesus’ name!
