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I have recently published a new book review.  The book is The Secret of Contentment by William Barcley.  Barcely addresses the problem of discontentment.  According to Gregg Easterbook’s book, The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse, we are living in an age of discontentment.  Barcley draws upon Easterbook’s work as well as some Puritan classics including Jeremiah Burrough’s, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment and Thomas Watson’s, The Art of Divine Contentment. 
The book is divided into two Parts.  Part I deals with the pursuit of contentment.  Part II addresses the mystery of contentment.  Here are some of the important quotations from the book.  John Piper stated, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”  Jeremiah Burrough’s defines contentment as: “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”  Contentment is being satisfied with God’s sufficiency (His grace). 
There is much more to read and learn.  You can start by reading the full review on the book review page of this blog.  Good reading!

One of the key passages in the New Testament on contentment is Philippians 4:11-13.  The Greek word used by Paul for contentment in verse 4 is autarkes. In the middle voice, this word means, “to be satisfied, to be contented with” (Vine, I, 234).  In I Tim. 6:6, Paul’s famous formula for success, “godliness with contentment is great gain” the word for contentment is autarkeia and means, “satisfaction with what one has found, contentment.”
What is contentment? Contentment is “tranquility of spirit that finds complete satisfaction in God’s grace.”  Jeremiah Burroughs defines contentment as “that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition” (quoted by William Barcley in The Secret of Contementment, 34).  In short, contentment is being completely satisfied with God’s sufficiency.  The apostle Paul knew that the circumstances of his life were in God’s hands.  God’s Providential care would not fail Paul.  Paul learned the secret of contentment was to trust God’s provisions, protection, presence and purposes for his life.
Discontentment is just the opposite. Discontentment is not being satisifed with what God provides.  Discontentment leads to murmuring.  Murmuring is a sign of unbelief.  This is illustrated by the conduct of the children of Israel during the wildnerness wanderings.  In Numbers 11:5-6, Moses records their words of complaint, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick; But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes.”  Manna in the morning,  manna for lunch, manner for supper, manna, manna, manna, they were sick and tired of manna.  However, manna was God’s provision for sustaining their lives!  They were not content with what God supplied.  Their murmuring betrayed the discontent that revealed their unbelief.  They did not trust God to take care of them.
Why did they do this? Numbers 11:4, they fell a lusting!  The lusts of the flesh caused them to loath the provisions God made for their lives.  Manna was a blessing from God miraculously provided by Him to sustain their lives every day for forty years!  They could not receive it with gratitude because of the lusts of their hearts.  We will not experience contentment until we slay the lusts of the flesh.  We must put to death the old man of sin and stop serving sin (Romans 6:6).  We must stop living to fulfill the lusts of the flesh and start living to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.
Contentment results when faith conquers the flesh.  Paul wrote, “the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17).  Sometimes Paul had everything he needed and sometimes he was in want.  Paul had learned that whatever state he was in-therewith to be content.  Paul accepted by faith God’s provisions for his life.  Paul never murmured against God!  Absolute faith in God motivated him to write,”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  This is a statement of faith that demonstrates that Paul had conquered the flesh.  Faith conquers the flesh by refusing to serve sin and rather focuses on serving God.  Faith praises God for His providential care.  Trust produces gratitude for God’s grace.  God’s grace is sufficient for us.  We can be satisfied with God’s sufficiency!  At this point, we have discovered contentment.

     Professor Sheena Lyengar has a new book called The Art of Choosing.  Readers Digest ran an article recently (April, 2010) titled, Make Up Your Mind, which gave several good ideas on decision making.  One of those ideas came from Professor Lyengar who has coined a new word, “satisficing.”  “Satisficing is being satisfied with what’s sufficient.”  Let’s say you’re buying toothpaste.  There are literally dozens of options and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.  Just pick one.  It doesn’t have to be the best.  It just needs to be good enough. 
     The concept is a valid one.  The idea expresses what is involved in contentment.  Here are some passages of Scripture that point out the value and need for contentment.  “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).  Covetousness is the desire for more and more.  The insatiable appetite for things can destroy one’s life.  The opposite of covetousness is contentment.  The word contentment means “to be satisfied.”  The basic meaning of the word relates to being satisfied with what one already has.  Sounds familiar to professor Lyengar’s new term.  When we are content, we can say “it is enough.”  I am satisfied with what is sufficient to meet my needs. 
     Paul writes, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11).  Paul knew how to satisfied with the Lord’s provisions for his life.  After stating these words, he makes the marvelous declaration of Christian optimism, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  Paul completely relied upon the Lord to take care of him. 
     Please consider one more passage from the pen of Paul.  “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And  having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (I Tim. 6:6-8).  Paul follows these thoughts with a stern warning against trusting in riches.  Misplaced trust produces untold misery!  “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (I Tim. 6:9).  
     We have discovered a great formula for true blessedness.  Godliness with contentment is great gain.  Your broker won’t tell you that, but God is more interested in your soul than your bank account.