Bible Study About Contentment: Finding Peace in God’s Provision

What Is Contentment?

Contentment in the Bible means being at peace on the inside because we’re satisfied with what God has given us. It’s an inner calm that comes from trusting that we have “enough.”

One Bible dictionary explains that contentment is being free from care or worry because you’re satisfied with what you already have. In other words, we stop fretting about what we don’t have and we enjoy what we do have.

The Hebrew idea of contentment essentially means “to be pleased.” In fact, one Hebrew term for contentment is sabea’, which literally means “full” – as in being full after a good meal.

It carries the sense of being totally satisfied.

For example, Job died “old and full of days,” and that word full implies he was contented and happy at the end of his life. What a way to go – with a heart at rest, content after a life walked with God.

In the New Testament, the Greek language gives us a rich picture of contentment.

One key word is autarkeia, often translated “contentment” or “sufficiency.”

It comes from autós (self) and arkéō (to be enough), literally meaning “self-sufficiency.” Don’t worry – it’s not about being self-reliant in a prideful way!

For Christians, this word points to having an inner sufficiency that doesn’t depend on outward circumstances.

• The Apostle Paul uses this noun when he writes, “godliness with contentment is great gain,” and he uses the related verb when he says, “having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:6, 8).

The idea is that by relying on God, we already have all we truly need, so we can rest content.

• Another form of this word appears when Paul says, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Here “content” is autárkēs, meaning contented or sufficient. Paul essentially says, “I’ve learned the secret that no matter what situation I’m in, I can be okay on the inside.”

There’s also the simpler Greek verb arkéō, which means “to suffice” or “to be enough.”

• When the Bible says “be content with such things as ye have” (Hebrews 13:5), it uses a form of arkéō.

It’s like God is telling us, “What you have is sufficient – don’t obsess over getting more.”

Interestingly, arkéō is the word Jesus used when He told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s grace was “enough” for Paul.

That is the heart of contentment: knowing God is enough for us, even when we feel weak or when we’re lacking something.

So what exactly is contentment?

It’s more than just a momentary satisfaction (like enjoying a nice dessert and then wanting more an hour later). It’s a habit of the heart, a steady attitude of acceptance and trust.

One theologian noted that contentment is a state of mind deeper than a passing feeling – the word points to a lasting condition.

It’s being okay on the inside, whether or not life meets our preferences at the moment. Contentment says: “It is well with my soul because God is with me and provides for me.”

Now, let’s be clear: contentment doesn’t mean you have to love every situation or that you should never desire change or improvement. It doesn’t mean complacency or lack of ambition.

Rather, contentment means finding peace where you are, with what you have, as you also trust God with any changes you hope to see.

You can have aspirations and still be content; the difference is you’re not living in constant anxiety or discontent until those aspirations are met. You do your best and leave the rest to God.

There’s a big difference between contentment and complacency.

Contentment is grateful, while complacency is lazy. Contentment says, “I trust God’s timing, I can wait patiently” – complacency says, “Why bother trying at all.”

The Apostle Paul was content and hard-working for the Gospel at the same time. We too can be content in Christ while actively doing His will.

Quick check-in: Have you ever met someone who didn’t have much in terms of possessions or health, yet they radiated peace and joy? That’s what contentment looks like. It’s a kind of quiet inner joy that isn’t shaken by external chaos.

On the flip side, we’ve all seen (or been) the person who has plenty but is never satisfied. No matter what good thing they have, they’re always after the next thing – a nicer car, a better job, a new relationship, you name it. That restless craving is the opposite of contentment, and let’s be honest, it’s a miserable way to live.

I love how one wise person said it: “Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.” When we learn contentment, we discover that we already have riches money can’t buy.

Contentment in the Old Testament

Contentment isn’t a new idea that only popped up in the New Testament. The Old Testament lays the groundwork for understanding and practicing contentment.

While the exact word “contentment” isn’t used frequently in the Old Testament, the concept is woven through its stories and teachings.

One common Old Testament phrase that hints at a life of contentment is when a person dies “full of days” or “full of years.”

This description is used for faithful people like Abraham, Isaac, David, and Job at the end of their lives.

• For example, Job 42:17 says Job died “being old and full of days.” That Hebrew word sabea’ (“full”) paints a picture of being satisfied and content with life’s outcome.

It’s as if the person’s life was a cup filled to the brim – not necessarily with material success (Job went through a lot of hardship!), but with a sense of completeness in God’s blessings.

In Job’s case, he experienced extreme loss and suffering, yet he continued to worship God even when he had nothing. By the end of the story, God restored him, but more importantly Job’s heart had learned to be at peace with God’s will.

• He even says during his trials, “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). That’s a contented heart speaking – accepting both good and bad from God’s hand.

We also see the idea of contentment in the Law and Wisdom literature of the Old Testament.

• The Tenth Commandment famously says, “Thou shalt not covet… anything that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:17).

Coveting is the opposite of contentment – it’s an insatiable desire for what others have. By forbidding coveting, God was essentially commanding contentment.

He was teaching Israel: “Don’t obsess over what you lack or what someone else has. Trust Me to provide what you need.”

• The Book of Proverbs echoes this. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”

Envy (a cousin of coveting) will rot you from the inside, but a “sound heart” – one at peace, content with its lot – gives life and health.

• Another proverb observes, “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20).

Yikes – that’s a stark reminder of our natural human tendency to never be satisfied!

• On a more positive note, Proverbs 15:16 says, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”

In other words, it’s better to have just a bit and live reverently and contentedly, than to have heaps of wealth coupled with turmoil. (We all know the truth of that – a peaceful, humble home beats a fancy house full of strife any day.)

• Perhaps one of the clearest prayers for contentment in the Old Testament is found in Proverbs 30:8-9. The writer Agur asks God, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me.”

He doesn’t want to be so rich that he forgets God, nor so poor that he might steal. He prays instead for daily bread, for “just enough” – essentially asking for the grace to be content with whatever the Lord provides.

This prayer shows great wisdom. It recognizes the dangers of both wealth and poverty and values a middle ground of contentment and reliance on God.

It’s like saying, “Lord, just give me what I need for today, and I’ll be okay.” Does that remind you of “Give us this day our daily bread”? It should – Jesus taught us the same principle, which we’ll see later.

The stories of the Old Testament also teach us lessons about contentment (or the lack thereof).

One classic example: the Israelites in the wilderness. Talk about a rollercoaster of contentment! God had miraculously freed them from slavery, parted the Red Sea, and was literally guiding them with a divine cloud by day and fire by night. You’d think they’d be pretty content, right? Not exactly.

• In Exodus 16, just weeks after leaving Egypt, the people got hungry and panicked. They “murmured against Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 16:2) and even said, “We wish the LORD had killed us in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and ate bread to the full! For ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (paraphrasing Exodus 16:3).

In their hunger, they lost sight of God’s miraculous deliverance and started romanticizing their old life of slavery just because it had all-you-can-eat buffet nights (or so they remembered). They were anything but content.

Yet, how did God respond? With grace. He provided manna, bread from heaven, on a daily basis. Interestingly, God gave instructions that they should gather only enough manna for each day – if they tried to hoard extra (out of greed or lack of trust), it spoiled.

God was clearly teaching them to trust Him daily and be content with the “enough” He gave for each day. It’s like the ultimate object lesson in contentment: you have exactly what you need for today, so relax and trust God for tomorrow.

Despite God’s provision, the Israelites continued to struggle with contentment. In Numbers 11, they got tired of the miracle manna (imagine that!) and craved meat.

• They cried, “Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, and the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now… there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:4-6).

Essentially they were saying, “Ugh, manna again? We want steak and salad like we had in Egypt!” This “grass is greener” syndrome provoked God’s anger, but even then He provided quail for them – and a stern lesson.

The quail came in huge abundance, yet as they greedily gorged on it, a plague struck those who had lusted without restraint (Numbers 11:33-34).

They named that place Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning “graves of craving.” How’s that for a warning sign on the road of discontent?

The wilderness stories teach us that chronic discontent can be deadly – it leads us away from trusting God and into rebellion and misery. On the other hand, when Israel did trust and obey, they lacked nothing.

When they entered the Promised Land, they each received an inheritance – their own portion of land – a tangible reminder that God provides for each family.

• As David later sang, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

Using the shepherd metaphor, he expresses contentment in God’s care. A sheep with a good shepherd doesn’t worry about tomorrow’s grass; it lies down in green pastures today and rests.

Speaking of David, he also wrote one of the most beautiful pictures of contentment in Psalm 131.

• He says, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child” (Psalm 131:2).

Think about that image: a weaned child no longer thrashes about crying for milk; it can rest calmly in its mother’s arms, content just being with her.

David is saying his soul has learned to calm down and trust God like that – like a little child snuggling with its mom, not because he’s getting something (milk), but because he’s with someone he loves and feels safe. That is contentment: finding rest in God’s presence, not just in His presents.

We also have positive examples of contentment in everyday life in the Old Testament.

Consider the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4. She and her husband were hospitable to the prophet Elisha, making a little room for him to stay whenever he passed through. In return, Elisha wanted to bless her.

He offered to speak to the king or the commander of the army on her behalf – essentially, “Can I get you VIP access or some favor at court?”

• But she replied, “I dwell among mine own people” (2 Kings 4:13).

In modern terms, “I have a home among my people; I’m alright. I don’t need anything else.” What a content response! She wasn’t serving God’s prophet to get a reward; she was sincerely content with her life.

(Interestingly, Elisha finds out she has no son and promises her one – which shows contentment doesn’t mean God won’t still bless us with more according to His will. But her heart posture was not grasping for more.)

On the other hand, we see stark cautionary tales of discontentment.

King Ahab is a prime example. He had wealth and power, yet he became obsessed with acquiring a little vineyard next to his palace – a vineyard owned by Naboth (1 Kings 21).

Naboth didn’t want to sell his family inheritance, and Ahab reacted like a spoiled child.

• The Bible says, “Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased… and he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread” (1 Kings 21:4).

Talk about a royal pouting session! His covetous discontent (fueled further by his wicked wife Jezebel) led to Naboth’s murder and ultimately brought God’s judgment on Ahab’s house.

It’s an extreme example, but it shows how a seemingly small discontent (“I need that vineyard to be happy”) can spiral into grievous sin.

From Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament consistently points us to this truth: real contentment comes from trusting God and being grateful for His provision, not from indulging our every craving.

Whether it’s through laws that teach us to curb covetousness, wisdom sayings that praise a simple, peaceful life, or narratives of heroes and fools illustrating contentment or the lack of it, the message is clear – “God Himself is the portion of His people.”

• As Psalm 16:5-6 says, “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance… the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

That’s contentment speaking – knowing that with God as our share, we have it good, no matter our situation in life.

Contentment in the New Testament

If the Old Testament sets the stage, the New Testament brings the lesson home in an even fuller way. With the coming of Jesus and the teachings of the apostles, contentment blossoms as a distinctly Christian virtue.

Early Christians lived in various levels of poverty or wealth, and often under persecution. The New Testament writers were keen to teach them (and us) the secret of being content in all situations.

Jesus Himself spoke to the heart of contentment many times, though He didn’t use the word “content.”

Instead, He addressed the anxious and covetous attitudes that keep us from contentment.

• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on” (Matthew 6:25).

“Take no thought” means “do not worry.” He points to the birds fed by God and the lilies clothed in beauty, and asks, “Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

The message? Your Heavenly Father knows what you need. You can trust Him, so you don’t have to live in frantic worry about material things.

• Jesus concludes, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

In other words, put God first and He’ll take care of the rest. That’s Christian contentment: shifting our focus from getting more stuff to drawing closer to God. When we do that, we often find our needs are met in due time, and even if our situation remains lean, our soul is fat with God’s peace.

• Jesus also warned in Luke 12:15, “Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Life is more than stuff! That’s a liberating truth that undergirds contentment. If life isn’t about accumulating things, we’re free to enjoy what we have and not constantly yearn for what we don’t.

Now let’s talk about Paul, because he’s kind of the poster child (poster apostle?) for contentment in the New Testament. When Paul writes to the Philippians from a jail cell, he surprisingly thanks them for a financial gift but quickly adds that his joy isn’t because he was desperate.

• He says, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Wow. Paul had been through beatings, whippings, shipwrecks, hunger, imprisonment – you name it (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 for his “resume” of sufferings). And yet he learned contentment whatever the state. This suggests two things:

(1) Contentment didn’t come naturally even to Paul; he had to learn it over time (that gives me hope for myself!), and

(2) contentment is possible even in the most dire circumstances. Paul continues, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4:12).

Whether he was preaching to a household in Lydia’s nice home (abounding) or locked up in a Philippian jail with his feet in stocks (abased), Paul could be content.

• How? He reveals the secret in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Ah, there it is – through Christ. The world’s version of contentment might be “self-sufficiency,” but Paul’s version is Christ-sufficiency.

It’s as if he says, “I’ve learned that I have a hidden reservoir of strength and peace, and that is Jesus living in me. With His strength, I can face hunger or plenty, prison or freedom, and my heart remains at peace.”

That verse (Phil 4:13) is often quoted for all sorts of challenges, but in context it specifically refers to living with contentment in any circumstance.

It’s a great one to memorize if you’re working on being content: remind yourself that through Christ’s power, you can handle being in a low position without losing your joy, and you can handle success without losing your soul.

Paul doesn’t keep this secret to himself; he teaches it to others. To his protégé Timothy, Paul writes a very straightforward truth: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Notice, he pairs contentment with godliness. As believers, we’re called to live godly lives – to reflect Christ in character. Paul says, essentially, if you add contentment to your pursuit of godliness, you’ve hit the jackpot (“great gain”).

Why? Because a godly person who is content is truly rich in the things that matter.

• Paul goes on to remind Timothy that we come into the world with nothing and leave with nothing, so having the basics is enough: “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” (1 Timothy 6:7-8).

That perspective puts things in eternal focus. You’ll never see a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse, right? We can’t take our stuff into eternity. So why tie our happiness to heaps of stuff here?

If we have food on the table and clothes on our back (and by extension, other true needs met), we can and should choose contentment. This teaching is so relevant today, isn’t it?

We live in a culture that constantly screams, “You need more! Upgrade this, buy that, you’ll be happier!”

But Paul would say: “Don’t fall for it. If your needs are met, thank God and be content. More gadgets or clothes or perks won’t secure your soul.”

• He even warns that an unhealthy desire for wealth can lead to ruin: “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” (1 Timothy 6:9).

• It’s not that money itself is evil, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil and heartache (1 Tim 6:10).

Contentment is the antidote to that soul-piercing greed. It allows us to have money without money having us. Whether God entrusts us with little or much, contentment keeps our hearts centered on Him rather than on the gift.

• Another apostolic voice, the writer of Hebrews, gives a concise command: “Let your conversation [conduct] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have” (Hebrews 13:5).

• Then he adds a powerful reason: “for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

This is profound. He ties contentment directly to God’s presence and faithfulness.

Essentially: Don’t live driven by the love of money or the constant desire for more; instead, be content with what you have, because God Himself is with you and will not abandon you.

It suggests that a major key to contentment is realizing we are never alone, never forsaken by our Lord. If God is with me, I can face lean times without fear, because I’m not abandoned.

It echoes the Old Testament truth that the Lord was the portion and inheritance of His people. Now as Christians, we have the promise of Jesus, “I am with you always,” and the indwelling Holy Spirit as our Helper.

• Therefore, we can say as the next verse (Hebrews 13:6) says, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear.” Contentment flows from that confidence: God’s got me, so I’ll be okay with what I have.

One more New Testament figure to mention regarding contentment is John the Baptist. People were coming to John to be baptized and asking how to live righteously.

• To some soldiers, John gave this advice: “Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14).

Interesting! He specifically tells them not to extort money or accuse people falsely (since soldiers had power and could abuse it) and to be content with their pay.

In other words, don’t use your position to grab more money unjustly – instead, be satisfied with the provisions you earn. This shows that contentment should characterize believers’ lives in practical, ethical ways.

If I’m content with my income, I won’t be tempted to steal, cheat, or cut ethical corners to get more. If I’m content in my job position, I won’t constantly grumble or envy others, or compromise my integrity to climb the ladder. Contentment leads to integrity, whereas greed breeds all kinds of shady behavior.

We could also point to the early church example.

• In Acts, many believers voluntarily sold possessions to share with the needy in the community, so that “distribution was made unto every man according as he had need” (Acts 4:35).

That generosity is the flip side of contentment – they valued people over possessions. They could only do that if their hearts were free from clutching things, i.e. content in Christ.

• Hebrews 10:34 even commends Christians who “took joyfully” the confiscation of their property, knowing they had “in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”

That’s some hardcore contentment right there – rejoicing even when your property is seized because you follow Jesus, trusting that God has better things for you eternally!

From Jesus’ teachings to the apostles’ letters, the New Testament consistently calls us to a lifestyle of contentment marked by trust in God’s provision, focus on eternal things, and freedom from slavery to materialism.

It doesn’t promise that contentment will automatically come once you follow Jesus – remember, Paul learned it through experience – but it does show that by God’s grace, it’s attainable.

In fact, it is expected of us as we mature in faith. And it’s part of our witness too: How can we preach that Jesus is all-sufficient if we live like He isn’t enough for us? A content Christian is a powerful testimony in a discontent world.

Contentment and Its Closely Related Virtues

Contentment doesn’t stand alone; it hangs out with a bunch of other Christ-like qualities. Think of contentment as part of a family of virtues that all support each other. Let’s identify a few closely associated ideas:

Trust/Faith:

At the root, contentment is built on trusting God. You won’t be content if you don’t deeply believe that God cares for you and will provide.

When we truly believe “God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) and “I will never leave thee,” then contentment becomes possible. Trust says, “God’s got this,” and contentment breathes a sigh of relief.

Peace:

Contentment and peace are like peanut butter and jelly – they just go together. When you’re content, you have peace of mind. And when you pursue inner peace (for example, by casting your cares on God in prayer), you pave the way for contentment.

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to be anxious but to pray with thanksgiving, and God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. That thanksgiving part – appreciating what God has already given – directly feeds contentment. A content heart is a peaceful heart, not churning with constant worry or envy.

Godliness:

As Paul said, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Contentment is a godly trait, reflecting a heart that values God above all else. Conversely, an ungodly mindset puts self and stuff above God, leading to discontent.

When we grow in godliness – in devotion, humility, and love – we often find contentment tagging along, because we’re more satisfied in God. A content person isn’t constantly yearning for sinful pleasures or worldly accolades; they are more interested in pleasing God and trusting Him.

Gratitude:

Gratitude is contentment’s best friend. It’s practically impossible to be both thankful and discontent at the same time. When we thank God for His blessings big and small, our perspective shifts from what’s lacking to what’s already given.

Try it: next time you feel restless and unhappy about something you lack, start thanking God for the things you do have. You’ll feel contentment start to bubble up. “In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) is a command that safeguards our contentment. A grateful heart tends to be a content heart.

Humility:

It takes humility to be content. Pride says “I deserve better!” and fuels discontent when we don’t get what we think we’re owed. Humility, however, acknowledges that we actually deserve nothing and that every good thing is a gift of grace.

Paul’s contentment in hardships was tied to his humility – he knew he was the chief of sinners saved by mercy, so anything beyond salvation was a bonus.

When we humbly submit to God’s will, even if it includes hardship or modest living, we find a deeper contentment because we’re not fighting God’s plan with a sense of entitlement.

Generosity:

This might sound counterintuitive, but giving away what you have can increase your contentment. How? When we hold our blessings with an open hand, it breaks the power of greed and teaches us that our joy isn’t in hoarding possessions.

The Macedonian Christians in 2 Corinthians 8 were extremely poor, yet they gave generously to help others and did so with abundant joy. They proved that contentment and joy do not depend on wealth – in fact, they transcended their poverty by being generous.

Generosity flows from contentment (you’re not afraid to share when you trust God to meet your needs) and in turn it fuels even more contentment (you experience the truth that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” – Acts 20:35).

Patience:

Contentment is closely linked to patience, especially when it comes to waiting on God’s timing. We might be discontent because we long for a certain life season or blessing that hasn’t come yet – like getting married, having a child, landing a dream job, or seeing a prayer answered.

Contentment doesn’t mean you stop desiring those good things, but it does mean you choose to wait without desperation or bitterness. Hebrews 6:12 encourages believers to be “followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Many heroes of faith waited years (sometimes decades) for God’s promise – think of Abraham waiting for a son. They had to learn contentment in the waiting, which is just patience wearing the clothing of trust.

Joy:

Surprised? Yes, joy is related to contentment – not the jumping-up-and-down kind of joy, but the deep gladness in God. When you’re content, you often have a steady, underlying joy because you’re not constantly frustrated or striving.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is full of joy, even though he wrote it from prison, because he was content in Christ.

He could rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4) since his joy wasn’t tied to circumstances. A content heart is primed to rejoice; a discontent heart finds it very hard to be genuinely joyful about anything.

On the flip side, contentment stands opposed to certain attitudes and vices. We’ve touched on these, but to sum up:

The opposite of contentment could be described as covetousness, greed, or envy.

All of those say “I need more, I want what he/she has.” They make you live in a perpetual state of “not enough.” It’s like a constantly growling stomach that can never be satisfied.

No wonder the Bible so often warns against them! “Let it not be once named among you,” Paul says about covetousness (Ephesians 5:3). It’s serious business, because it’ll choke the spiritual life out of you (remember, envy rots the bones).

Another opposite is anxiety and worry.

When we’re anxious about tomorrow, we can’t be content today. That’s why Jesus spent so much time urging us not to worry but to trust our Father. A worrying heart is too preoccupied with “what ifs” to rest content in the present. It’s always projecting fear into the future.

Contentment, by contrast, lives in the present and says, “Even if x or y happens, God will still be with me and that’s enough for me.” Reining in anxiety through prayer and trust is key to maintaining contentment.

Ungratefulness is an enemy of contentment.

If we fixate on what God hasn’t done or what we think He got wrong, we become like the Israelites complaining about manna. Romans 1:21 describes the unrighteous as people who “neither glorified God, nor were thankful.”

A lack of thankfulness leads to futile thinking and darkened hearts – basically the opposite of the enlightened, joyful heart of a content believer. Keeping a habit of gratitude guards against the slippery slope of grumbling and discontent.

The more we cultivate trust, peace, godliness, gratitude, humility, generosity, patience, and joy, the more contentment becomes our natural rhythm. It’s like a garden where all these virtues grow together.

And when nasty weeds like envy or worry pop up, we pull them out through prayer and truth from Scripture, so they don’t choke our contentment.

Instructions for Christians on Contentment

The Bible doesn’t just describe contentment abstractly; it gives us practical instructions to be content. It’s a command, not just a personality trait for naturally easygoing people.

That’s good news – it means with God’s help, we can learn and choose contentment regardless of our temperament or life situation. Let’s look at some of the clear instructions given to believers:

“Be content with such things as ye have.” (Hebrews 13:5)

This is as direct as it gets. If you have “such things” – i.e. whatever you currently possess – be content with that. It’s like a parent telling a kid who’s eyeing another toy, “Play with the toys you have.”

This command comes with the reason that God is with us, as we saw, but the imperative stands on its own too. How do we obey it? Whenever you catch yourself saying, “If only I had X, I’d be happy,” pause and remind yourself of this verse.

It might even help to say out loud, “Be content with what you have, for God is with you.” It’s a simple but powerful habit of renewing your mind.

“Having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy 6:8)

Paul instructs believers to consciously decide that the basics are enough. This challenges our modern concept of “needs” versus “wants.” We may think we need a lot of things (like high-speed internet or a daily latte), but Scripture simplifies it way down to food and clothing (and by extension, basic shelter).

Not that other things are bad, but if we have the basics, we have enough to obey this call. It’s almost like a baseline: make up your mind that if your basic needs are met, you will choose contentment and praise God. Everything beyond that is a bonus to enjoy, not a necessity to fret over.

“Do not covet”

The negative side of the coin is repeatedly emphasized (Luke 12:15, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5 among others).

The New Testament actually calls covetousness idolatry in Colossians 3:5 – ouch! Why idolatry? Because when we covet, we’re essentially worshiping the idea of that thing we crave, thinking it will satisfy us in a way that only God should. So a big instruction for a content life is to actively resist covetous thoughts.

This might mean curbing exposure to things that stir envy or greed in us (for instance, endless scrolling through social media highlights of others’ lives, or browsing shopping sites that make you suddenly dissatisfied with your perfectly fine belongings).

Jesus said “Beware of covetousness,” which implies we have to be on guard and fight that tendency with the truth of God’s promises and the practice of gratitude.

“Be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14)

This one is very practical. Even today, it speaks to being content in our jobs and income level. That doesn’t mean you can’t seek a promotion or career growth, but it means you’re not constantly grumbling, “I’m underpaid, I hate this job, I deserve more,” to the point that it leads you to unethical behavior or constant misery.

There’s a godly way to pursue better circumstances (through prayer, diligence, and appropriate action) while still being content in the interim. So if you’re a soldier, or a teacher, or a barista, or a CEO – don’t abuse others, and don’t spend your days in bitter complaint.

Do your work “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23) and trust Him with the outcome.

God can open a door for change at the right time, but in the meantime, contentment will guard your heart from many sins (like those soldiers being tempted to extort money – John knew that contentment would keep them honest).

Follow content role models.

In Philippians 4:9, after talking about God’s peace, Paul says, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do.” He wasn’t shy to put himself up as an example of living out these principles.

Likewise in 1 Timothy 6, he encourages Timothy to flee the love of money and instead “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Tim. 6:11).

Part of how we “follow after” contentment is by following mentors and examples of people who live it. In your church or community, notice those who live simply and joyfully. Spend time with them, learn their secrets (they’ll likely say “It’s Jesus!”).

Conversely, be mindful not to idolize celebrities or influencers who flaunt lavish lifestyles and make you crave what they have. The voices you listen to will either stoke discontent or inspire contentment.

Pray and depend on God.

We can’t overlook prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 (mentioned earlier) instructs us to replace anxiety with prayer and thanksgiving, and then God’s peace will guard us. When you feel the itch of discontent (maybe envy or worry or frustration), turn it into a prayer.

For example: “Lord, I’m feeling unhappy that I don’t have XYZ. But I thank You for what I do have. I trust You. Please help me to be content and provide what You know I truly need.” This kind of honest prayer is exactly what our Father wants to hear – it acknowledges the struggle but also releases it to Him.

In return, He often changes our hearts even if the situation doesn’t change immediately. We’ve been promised that when we cast our cares on Him, He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7), and that includes easing the burden of those restless cravings and fears.

“Lay up treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20)

Jesus instructs us where to focus our ambition: on heavenly treasure (like character, loving others, sharing the gospel, knowing God more) rather than earthly accumulation. If we obey this, contentment follows as a by-product.

When I’m investing my energy in eternal things, I find my grip on earthly stuff loosens. It just doesn’t matter as much, except as tools for God’s kingdom.

This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy earthly blessings, but our heart’s treasure is in heaven. As Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21).

So if we redirect our treasure and heart upward, we won’t be as easily swayed by earthly discontent. We become more excited about a spiritual conversation or an answered prayer than about a new gadget or another accolade.

All these instructions point to a lifestyle where contentment is intentionally cultivated. It takes the Word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and our cooperation.

And yes, it usually takes time – don’t expect to flip a switch and boom, you’re perfectly content forever. It’s a journey (remember, Paul “learned” it over years). But these biblical commands and principles give us a roadmap.

In summary, here are some practical steps for growing in contentment:

1. Count your blessings regularly. Literally make a list or take time in prayer to name the good things in your life and thank God for them. Gratitude is huge.
2. Trust God one day at a time. Try not to project all your fears into the future. Trust that He will give you strength and provision for each day, as Jesus taught (Matthew 6:34).
3. Limit comparisons. If certain activities or media fuel envy in your heart, take a break from them. Focus on what God has given you, not what He’s given someone else.
4. Practice generosity. When you give to others – whether time, money, or encouragement – it shifts your focus off what you lack and reminds you that God’s able to use you as a blessing.
5. Immerse yourself in Scripture. God’s Word renews our minds. Verses about His faithfulness, His provision, and His promises help recalibrate our perspective to one of contentment and trust.
6. Pray for contentment. It’s okay to ask God to help you be content. He honors prayers that align with His will, and clearly He wants us to learn contentment. Invite the Holy Spirit to cultivate this fruit in you.
7. Cultivate a heavenly mindset. Remind yourself that this world is not your final home and that eternal joys await. This isn’t to dismiss present struggles, but to put them in perspective. Our hope in Christ is an anchor for the soul (Hebrews 6:19).

These steps aren’t a formula to earn God’s favor (we already have His love in Christ!), but they are our response to His Word that helps contentment grow.

Examples of Contentment (and Discontent) in Scripture

We’ve already touched on many biblical examples, but let’s zoom in on a few standout role models of contentment and some who serve as warnings. Stories have a way of sticking with us and hitting our hearts differently than just principles do.

Positive Examples:

The Apostle Paul:

We can’t talk about contentment without spotlighting Paul again. Imagine him and Silas in the Philippian jail (Acts 16) – backs bleeding from a beating, feet in stocks, sitting in a dark cell at midnight.

What were they doing? Singing hymns to God! That blows my mind. Instead of groans and complaints, they chose praise. That’s contentment rooted in God’s presence, not in comfort. And God responded with a miracle earthquake that led to a jailer’s salvation.

But even before any deliverance came, Paul and Silas had victory in that cell through their contentment and worship. Paul’s whole life – whether making tents to pay his way, or standing before governors, or stuck under house arrest in Rome – is a testimony that Christ is enough.

He even said at one point, “I have all, and abound: I am full” (Phil. 4:18) while thanking the Philippians for sending support. He had Christ’s strength and the love of the church; that made him “full,” even when in chains.

Jesus Himself:

You might wonder, did Jesus demonstrate contentment? Absolutely. He lived very simply – “The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head” (Luke 9:58), meaning He had no permanent home – yet we never see Jesus grasping for possessions or complaining about His lot.

He was completely content doing the Father’s will. In John 4:34, after a long journey and apparently hungry, Jesus told His disciples, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.”

He found satisfaction in obedience. He also consistently trusted the Father to provide (and the Father did – people, even wealthy women, provided for Jesus and His disciples at times).

In the wilderness temptation, Jesus refused to miraculously create bread for Himself, choosing rather to trust in God’s word (Matthew 4:4).

And consider how Jesus faced suffering: in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed in agony for the cup of crucifixion to pass, yet ultimately said, “Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

That is the pinnacle of contentment in God’s plan – accepting it fully, though it meant unspeakable pain, because of the “joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus’ life on earth shows a constant contentment in the Father’s fellowship and purpose. He never chased worldly success or riches. He demonstrated that “man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things.”

And because He was content to humble Himself to the lowest place, God highly exalted Him (Phil. 2:8-9).

Mary of Bethany:

Mary, the sister of Martha, gives us a beautiful snapshot of contentment in devotion. While Martha was bustling in the kitchen (and getting frustrated that Mary wasn’t helping serve), Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, just listening to Him teach.

When Martha complained, Jesus gently defended Mary, saying she had “chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

Mary was content just being near Jesus and soaking in His words, even if it meant catching flak from her sister. Later, Mary demonstrated extravagant love by anointing Jesus with a costly ointment (John 12:3).

Some of the disciples scolded that it was a waste of money, but Jesus praised her. Mary’s heart was so full of love for Christ that financial concerns took a back seat.

She wasn’t thinking, “Oh, but I could have sold this perfume and secured my future.” She found something (or rather Someone) far more precious. Her contentment in Christ led her to a lavish act of worship without regret.

The Poor Widow:

In Mark 12:42-44, Jesus observed a poor widow put two small copper coins into the Temple treasury – it was all she had.

He was so impressed that He called His disciples over and essentially said, “Look at her. She gave more than all the others, because they gave out of their surplus, but she gave everything she had to live on.”

How does this relate to contentment? If she gave away all she had, she must have been trusting God entirely to take care of her afterwards. That implies a remarkable contentment in God’s provision: she was not so worried about her own survival that she withheld those last two coins.

She had so little, yet apparently she felt she had enough to share. That challenges me – sometimes those with the least demonstrate the greatest contentment and trust, putting us who have more to shame.

Barnabas:

Acts 4:36-37 introduces us to Barnabas (meaning “Son of Encouragement”). It notes that he sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles to help those in need. Barnabas was a landowner; he could have hung onto that property as part of his net worth.

But he was content to live more simply and use the proceeds to bless others. His generosity in the early church, without any apparent coercion, signals a contented and compassionate heart.

(By contrast, the next chapter tells of Ananias and Sapphira, who also sold a piece of property but lied about giving all the proceeds, because they wanted the appearance of generosity without the sacrifice.

Their tragic story is a foil to Barnabas – discontent and deceit versus contentment and honesty.)

Daniel and His Friends:

Jumping back to the Old Testament for a moment, Daniel and his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego) provide a great example of being content with little rather than defiling themselves for more.

In Daniel 1, they were offered the rich food and wine from the Babylonian king’s table, but they resolved not to eat food that violated their dietary laws. Instead, they were content with vegetables and water. God honored their faith, and they thrived on that simple diet.

Later, the three friends had to face the choice of life with compromise or death with contentment in God. They refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol, even under threat of the fiery furnace.

They told the king, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… but if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods” (Daniel 3:17-18).

They were content to leave the outcome in God’s hands – whether deliverance or death – rather than trade their allegiance.

God miraculously delivered them from the fire, but they didn’t know that would happen; they were still content to trust Him. That “even if not” kind of faith is a hallmark of contentment in God alone.

Negative Examples (Warnings):

Adam and Eve:

Let’s go back to the very beginning. You could say the first sin in history came from a lack of contentment. Adam and Eve had the entire Garden of Eden to enjoy – every tree’s fruit except one, total freedom except one restriction.

But the serpent convinced Eve that God was holding out on them, that eating the forbidden fruit would make her “like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

Instead of being content with the perfection and provision around them, Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation to grasp for more. The tragic irony is they were already made in God’s image and already had intimate fellowship with Him.

But discontent made them doubt God’s goodness and grab at what was forbidden. The result was the fall, and humanity has been dealing with the fallout since. Their story warns us that discontent can blind us to the blessings we have and lead us to rebel against the One who loves us most.

The Wilderness Generation:

We’ve talked at length about Israel’s complaints in the wilderness. To summarize the warning: an entire generation missed out on the Promised Land because of their persistent discontent and lack of faith.

They grumbled about food, water, leadership, and giants in the land.

In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, Paul actually uses them as an example for us, saying, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed… Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples.”

Psalm 106:14-15 adds, “They lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.”

What haunting words – they got what they craved (meat, etc.) but became spiritually lean. They had full stomachs for a moment but empty hearts in the end. Discontent, even when indulged, never truly satisfies; it only makes the soul leaner.

King Saul:

The first king of Israel started humble, but after some successes, Saul’s heart grew proud and insecure. When the people began praising young David’s victories – singing “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” – Saul became insanely jealous (1 Samuel 18:7-9).

Instead of being content that God was using someone else mightily (and that Israel was benefiting), Saul saw David as a threat. His discontent with his own honor led him to spend years chasing David, trying to kill him. Meanwhile, Saul neglected his kingly duties and lost God’s favor.

Eventually, his life ended in defeat and tragedy. Saul’s envy made him a miserable, paranoid man. It shows how discontent (in this case, envy of someone’s success) can consume a person and destroy their calling.

If Saul had rejoiced in David’s victories and seen David as a gift from God for the kingdom, how different his story might have ended.

Haman:

In the Book of Esther, Haman was a high-ranking official who had wealth, influence, and the king’s trust. But one thing drove him crazy: the Jewish man Mordecai wouldn’t bow to him. Haman said, “All this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 5:13).

That discontent led Haman to plot not just Mordecai’s death but a genocide of Mordecai’s people! Haman ended up executed on the very gallows he built for Mordecai.

It’s an extreme case, but it underlines how discontent can grow into monstrous hate and evil. He had everything, but it “availed him nothing” because of one perceived slight.

We might not go to Haman’s lengths, but isn’t it true that sometimes one irritation or envy can overshadow a hundred blessings if we let it?

Judas Iscariot:

Judas walked with Jesus for three years, heard His teaching, saw His miracles, even performed miracles himself as a disciple. Yet the Gospels reveal Judas had a love of money (he kept the money bag and stole from it – John 12:6).

When Mary anointed Jesus, Judas complained it was a waste of expensive ointment – that money could have gone into their fund (which he pilfered). Ultimately, Judas’s discontent and greed opened him up to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Perhaps he was also disillusioned that Jesus wasn’t the militant Messiah he expected, and his discontent led to treachery. After the deed, Judas was overwhelmed with guilt and despair and took his own life.

Judas stands as a solemn warning that being close to spiritual things (church, religious involvement) doesn’t guarantee contentment; you can have every opportunity to know Christ, and yet if your heart clings to something else (like money), you can make disastrous choices. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” and Judas’s story tragically illustrates that.

Ananias and Sapphira:

We mentioned them earlier alongside Barnabas. In Acts 5, this couple sold property and pretended to give all the proceeds to the church, but they secretly kept part of the money. Peter confronted them, saying they lied not just to men but to God, and both Ananias and Sapphira fell down dead as a result.

Why did they lie? They wanted the reputation of extreme generosity (perhaps seeing the respect Barnabas got) without the actual sacrifice. It was discontent with being honest and seen as giving “only” a portion; they craved the glory of giving it all.

Their story is a stark warning about hypocrisy fueled by greed and pride. They literally valued a chunk of money and praise more than their fellowship with God – and it cost them their lives. The early church learned that God takes honesty and contentment seriously!

Each negative example essentially says: Don’t go down this road of discontent – it leads to pain, loss, and separation from God’s best. And each positive example shines, saying: Trust God, and you’ll see He is enough in every situation.

Blessings of Contentment

Why pursue contentment? Beyond the fact that we’re commanded to, what are the blessings that come with a contented heart? The Bible makes it clear that contentment carries wonderful rewards (and I don’t mean the kind you put in a bank account).

Here are some blessings and benefits associated with contentment:

“Great Gain” (Spiritual Riches):

1 Timothy 6:6 promises that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” This isn’t talking about fattening your wallet; it’s talking about true riches in the spiritual sense. Contentment with godliness brings a wealth of peace, stability, and joy that money can’t buy. It’s like having an internal treasure chest.

People spend fortunes seeking happiness, but a content person experiences a sense of fulfillment that is priceless. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

Perfect peace – that sounds like great gain indeed, and it comes from trusting (contentment’s foundation).

Peace of Mind and Heart:

When you’re content, you generally have more peace. You’re not emotionally agitated all the time. Stress and worry are reduced. Think of the mental energy freed up by not constantly scheming to acquire more or stewing over what you lack!

Contentment leads to a calmer outlook because you’re resting in God’s care. It’s the fulfillment of “the peace of God… shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

A content person can face ups and downs with equilibrium. That doesn’t mean we never feel sorrow or disappointment, but beneath those feelings there’s a stabilizing trust.

Proverbs 19:23 says, “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.”

There is safety implied there – a life revering God (trusting Him) leads to contentment (“abide satisfied”) and protects from many troubles. Internal peace is truly a blessing in a world of stress.

Joy and Gratitude:

A content person often overflows with gratitude, and where there’s gratitude, there’s joy. You start noticing little blessings – a good meal, a sunny day, a kind word – and savoring them.

Life becomes more delightful because you’re actually present to enjoy it, rather than always chasing the next thing.

Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 says that it is a gift from God when a person is given wealth and enabled to enjoy it, to take their portion and rejoice in their labor – “he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.”

That describes someone who has contentment with what God gave – they can enjoy their work and their portion with joy, not worrying incessantly.

Whether your portion is small or large, contentment lets you extract maximum joy from it. It also makes you a more pleasant person to be around – who doesn’t love the friend who is upbeat and thankful rather than the one who always complains?

Improved Relationships:

Contentment has relational benefits. When you’re content, you’re less likely to envy your friends or resent others who have more. You’re more likely to celebrate others’ successes and share in their joys (Romans 12:15).

You’re also less likely to be bitter or angry, which means a happier home life and better friendships. Many conflicts in families stem from financial stress or envy or unrealistic expectations.

Contentment helps defuse those. If spouses are content, they won’t constantly pressure each other for more or compare their family to others. If teenagers are content, they won’t constantly resent the rules or what they don’t have.

James 4:1-2 says fights and quarrels come from covetous desires battling inside – basically discontent. Remove that, and a lot of strife goes with it. Instead, there’s room for love, understanding, and generosity toward each other.

Witness to the World:

We touched on this, but it’s worth calling a blessing in itself. A content life is a great witness. When others see you calm in a crisis or not chasing the same empty pleasures, some will wonder why. The door opens to talk about the Lord as your source of strength and satisfaction.

Paul and Silas’s contentment-fueled hymn sing in jail led the jailer to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Even if it’s not that dramatic, people notice. In a workplace, the employee who isn’t constantly complaining stands out.

In a neighborhood, the family that lives simply but happily is intriguing. Contentment adorns the gospel by showing that Christ really does make a difference in how we handle life. It’s hard to argue with the testimony of a life well-lived in peace and joy.

As one quote (attributed to D.L. Moody) says, “A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they just shine.” Contentment is part of that shine.

Freedom:

There is huge freedom that comes with contentment. You’re free from the relentless rat race of consumerism. You’re not a slave to credit card debt trying to live beyond your means.

You’re free from certain temptations – for example, the content person is far less likely to gamble or get involved in shady get-rich-quick schemes, because they’re not desperate to multiply wealth fast.

You’re free to say “no” to opportunities that might give more money but at the cost of your family or integrity, because you know what you have is sufficient. You’re free to enjoy others’ successes without feeling diminished.

Perhaps most of all, you’re free from the tyranny of “more.” Our society often chains us to the idea that we must always strive for more – more stuff, more status, more experiences – it’s exhausting.

Contentment breaks those chains. It feels like a deep breath of fresh air, where you realize, “I don’t have to prove anything. I don’t have to keep up. I can just live and enjoy and serve God.” That is freedom indeed.

Provision from God:

Paradoxically, when we are content and put God first, often He adds blessings in our life in His timing. Jesus said if we seek the kingdom first, our earthly needs will be given (Matthew 6:33).

Contentment often positions us to receive more, because our hearts can handle it. When God sees we’re faithful and content with little, He can entrust us with more (see the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-23). On the other hand, if we’re discontent with little, giving us more might only feed our dysfunction.

Often, I’ve noticed in my life, when I finally surrender a desire to God and say, “Lord, I’m okay even if I never get this,” shortly after, God provides it (and sometimes I chuckle, thinking, “I wish I’d surrendered sooner!”).

Now, that’s not a trick or guarantee, but it’s a principle: when we delight in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4) – which often means He either fulfills our desires or transforms them to match what He’s giving. Either way, we win.

Eternal Rewards:

Ultimately, contentment keeps us on the path that leads to eternal reward. Paul told Timothy to flee covetousness and pursue godliness, and to “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12).

He reminded him that by doing good, being rich in good works, and being generous (all flowing from contentment), he would be “laying up in store… a good foundation against the time to come” (1 Tim. 6:18-19).

Contentment helps us focus on what matters forever, not just what matters now. When we stand before Christ, no one will regret not having bought a fancier car or not having amassed a bigger bank account.

But some may regret that they spent so much time and energy on those things instead of on the things of God. Contentment now leads to treasures in heaven.

And frankly, contentment itself will be part of our eternal reward – in heaven, we will have perfect contentment in God’s presence. The more we cultivate it now, the more we’re investing in the quality of life that will last forever.

So, contentment “pays off” in so many ways. It is its own reward in the present (peace, joy, etc.), and it leads to rewards in the future. It truly is, as Scripture says, “great gain.” Meanwhile, discontent is “great loss” – loss of peace, loss of time, loss of testimony, and potentially loss of rewards if it drives us to live for the wrong things. The choice is pretty clear when we see it side by side.

And of course, beyond all these specific blessings, the core blessing of contentment is closer fellowship with God. When we’re content, we’re saying to God, “You are enough for me.”

And often we sense His presence and pleasure more when we’re in that state of trust and gratitude. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Contentment draws us nearer, because it involves surrender and trust, which God loves.

Symbolism and Patterns of Contentment in Scripture

The Bible often teaches through imagery, metaphors, and patterns. Contentment is illustrated in a variety of ways throughout Scripture. Let’s explore a few of these symbols and repeated themes that shed light on contentment:

Shepherd and Sheep:

One of the most beloved images is Psalm 23’s portrayal of the Lord as a shepherd. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Here “want” means “lack.”

This whole psalm is a contentment picture: the sheep (God’s people) have everything they need because the shepherd (God) provides green pastures, still waters, guidance, protection, and even in the presence of enemies an overflowing cup.

It ends with “goodness and mercy… all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Talk about contentment! The sheep isn’t stressing about the next meal or danger; it trusts the shepherd completely. In the New Testament, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

He says His sheep listen to His voice and follow Him, and He gives them eternal life and they will never perish. He also says they “shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

That’s the contentment of a well-cared-for flock. We as believers can claim this imagery for ourselves – if the Lord is our Shepherd, we truly lack nothing we ultimately need. Even if some desires are unfulfilled, we trust that the Shepherd knows best and will lead us to what’s truly good.

Babies and Milk:

Another metaphor, which we touched on, is the weaned child in Psalm 131. David compared his soul to a weaned child with its mother – a beautiful picture of calm trust and freedom from agitation. This image teaches that contentment involves maturity.

A nursing infant might be content only when feeding; a weaned child has learned to be content just being with mother, without needing constant instant gratification.

In the Christian life, Peter uses a related image: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). We start as spiritual babies craving God’s word (which is good), but as we grow, we should be able to handle solid food (Hebrews 5:14).

One could say immature faith is only content when God immediately “feeds” us what we want (answers to prayers, feelings of blessing), but mature faith learns to rest in God even when those things aren’t immediately evident.

Think of a toddler who can sit calmly in dad’s lap, versus a squirmy infant that cries the second it’s hungry. God wants to bring us to that toddler stage (and beyond) spiritually, where we trust His presence and timing without constant fussing.

Manna:

The manna in the wilderness was a huge object lesson on contentment and trust. Each person could gather just enough for that day (except before the Sabbath).

It taught reliance on God’s daily bread. Greed or lack of trust led some to try to gather more, but the leftover manna bred worms and stank (Exodus 16:20).

• In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses says God fed them manna to teach them “that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD.”
• Fast forward to the New Testament: Jesus quotes this verse to Satan during His temptation (Matthew 4:4), effectively saying, “I will be content with what my Father gives; I don’t need to prove anything by turning stones to bread.”
• Furthermore, Jesus later identifies Himself as the true Bread from Heaven (John 6:32-35). He says, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.”

Manna sustained physical life temporarily; Jesus sustains spiritual life eternally. In Him, our deepest hunger is satisfied. So manna was a symbol pointing to Christ. Just as the Israelites had to trust God each day for provision, we learn to depend on Jesus daily for our spiritual nourishment and sufficiency.

And unlike manna, which lasted a day, Jesus promises that those who partake of Him will “never hunger”. The pattern: God provides bread -> contentment for the day; Jesus provides Himself -> contentment forever.

Living Water:

Similarly, water from the rock in the desert (Exodus 17:6) was a symbol. The people were thirsty and discontent, and God miraculously brought water from a rock. In the New Testament, Paul tells us “that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Jesus uses water imagery with the Samaritan woman: “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14). He was speaking of the living water of salvation and the Holy Spirit. Again in John 7:37-38, Jesus invites, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink… out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

The idea is that Jesus satisfies our spiritual thirst so completely that He puts a wellspring inside us!

• No wonder contentment is possible – the source of satisfaction is internal (the Holy Spirit), not external.

In Revelation 7:16, describing the saints before God’s throne, it says, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more.” All these water images reinforce the same pattern: human souls are parched and discontent by default, but God provides living water.

If we drink deeply of God’s presence and grace, our soul-thirst is quenched. That doesn’t mean we never desire anything (we still hunger for more of God, in a good way), but it means the existential angst is gone. We know where to find true refreshment.

Rest (Sabbath and Promised Land):

The theme of rest in Scripture is strongly linked to contentment. God established the Sabbath (one day of rest in seven) for Israel.

Keeping the Sabbath holy required trust – you had to be content that six days of work and God’s blessing on them were enough, and that you could cease striving on the seventh day.

Sabbath was a sign of trusting God’s provision, a contentment discipline built into the week. In the New Testament, Hebrews 4 speaks of a “rest” for the people of God.

It ties together the ideas of the Promised Land rest (which Israel entered under Joshua) and the Sabbath rest, pointing to a spiritual rest we have in Christ.

“For we which have believed do enter into rest” (Heb 4:3). Ultimately, it points to eternal rest. But also, Jesus gives us rest now: “Come unto Me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Rest is essentially ceasing from labor or struggle. Spiritually, contentment is ceasing the frantic labor of self-sufficiency and resting in God’s sufficiency. When you see the word “rest” in Scripture, it’s often a hint of contentment (or its prerequisite, trust).

The Promised Land, described as a land of milk and honey, was meant to be a place where Israel could settle securely, each under their vine and fig tree (symbolic of contentment and peace – 1 Kings 4:25).

When Israel strayed from God, He described it as never being able to rest – like constantly staggering. Conversely, when they were obedient, the land had rest from war, etc.

For us, walking with Jesus doesn’t mean life is easy, but it does mean our souls can rest in His grace. That soul-rest is basically contentment in God.

Marriage and Fidelity:

In Scripture, God often uses the metaphor of marriage to describe His relationship with His people. Idolatry is portrayed as spiritual adultery (see the Book of Hosea for an extended picture of this).

This metaphor indirectly teaches about contentment: we should be “faithfully devoted” to God alone, our spiritual Husband, and not seek satisfaction in other gods or worldly things.

When Israel chased idols, it was as if she wasn’t content with her loving Husband (God) and went after abusive lovers (idols) who couldn’t satisfy.

For Christians, Paul says, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). Our contentment should be in Christ alone, not Christ plus another savior.

In a practical sense, think of human marriage: God’s design is that we find delight in our spouse and remain faithful. “Rejoice with the wife of thy youth… let her breasts satisfy thee at all times” (Prov. 5:18-19) – very vivid language about being content in one’s marriage and not seeking adulterous thrills.

Similarly, as the Bride of Christ, the Church is to find our satisfaction in Him and not seek spiritual “affairs” with the world. James 4:4 bluntly says, “Friendship of the world is enmity with God.”

So, the pattern: when we’re faithful and content in our covenant with God (or with our spouse, by extension), we experience blessing. When we stray out of discontent, we reap misery and broken fellowship.

Unshakable Kingdom:

Hebrews 12:28 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

We have an unshakable kingdom! This is more of a truth than an image, but it establishes a pattern: everything on earth can shake – economies collapse, empires fall, health fails – but God’s kingdom is solid.

If our hope and treasure are in that kingdom, our contentment can remain steady even when the world around us is chaotic.

The early Christians understood this; they were not overly distraught when persecuted or when possessions were taken, because they knew they had “a better and enduring possession” in heaven (Hebrews 10:34).

It’s like building your life on a rock versus sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Contentment is building on the rock of Christ and His kingdom; discontent is building on the shifting sands of worldly circumstances.

When storms come, one house stands and the other falls. So the pattern emerges: set your heart on the eternal (unshakable), and you’ll stand firm and content; set it on the temporal (shakable), and you’re in for anxiety and disappointment.

By paying attention to these symbols and patterns, we see that contentment isn’t just a random bit of advice – it’s tied into the whole biblical narrative of trust and relationship with God. From the peaceful sheep to the trusting child, from daily manna to living water, from Sabbath rest to marital faithfulness, the Bible keeps pointing us to the truth that God is our provider, our rest, our enough. And whenever God’s people embraced that truth, they thrived; whenever they rejected it, they suffered.

Connecting Old and New Testament Themes

One of the beautiful things about Scripture is how the Old and New Testaments connect. Contentment is a great example of a theme that is consistent throughout the Bible, even as it reaches its fullest expression in Christ. Let’s draw a few connections:

God’s Character as Provider:

In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh, “The LORD will provide” (Genesis 22:14). He provided a ram in place of Isaac, manna in the wilderness, water from the rock, victories in battle, and a fruitful land for His people.

The people could be content because God was looking out for them. In the New Testament, that same faithful Provider is at work, most dramatically by providing His own Son for our salvation.

Romans 8:32 beautifully ties it together: “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

If God took care of our biggest need (sin) at infinite cost to Himself, we can trust Him for our lesser needs (daily bread, guidance, etc.). The cross is the ultimate proof that God will not leave us or forsake us.

So, Old and New together shout: “You can trust God – He will provide what you truly need.” That trust is the bedrock of contentment.

Learning Through Testing:

Both the Old and New Testaments reveal that God allows tests or trials to teach His people contentment and trust. We saw Israel being tested with hunger and thirst to humble them and reveal what was in their hearts (Deut. 8:2-3).

In the New Testament, James 1:2-4 tells believers to count it joy when facing trials because the testing of our faith produces patience and maturity, leaving us “complete, lacking nothing.” Notice that phrase – “lacking nothing.” That’s contentment!

Trials are God’s workshops for contentment. Paul himself said he learned contentment through experiences of need and plenty. The continuity is that God uses life circumstances to wean our hearts off self and onto Him (like the weaned child image).

After Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness, a new generation was more ready to trust God. Likewise, our hardships now prepare us to live in content dependence on God going forward.

Presence of God:

• The ultimate source of contentment in both testaments is God’s presence with His people. In the Old Testament, we frequently see statements like, “Do not fear, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).
• The greatest judgment God could give was to withdraw His presence (as when His glory departed from the temple in Ezekiel 10).
• Conversely, the pinnacle of hope was God’s presence restored (Ezekiel 48:35 – the new Jerusalem named “The LORD is there”).
• Psalm 73:28 says, “It is good for me to draw near to God.”
• In the New Testament, we have “God with us” in an even more intimate way through Jesus (Emmanuel) and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
• Hebrews 13:5 anchored contentment in the promise “I will never leave thee.”
• This is a direct echo of God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 1:5) and others. It shows the same reason to be content: because we have God, and having Him, we truly have enough.
• Revelation 21:3 declares the fulfillment of everything: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them.”

At that point, every source of discontent will vanish. So from the tabernacle in the wilderness to the final heavenly city, God’s presence is the key. When Israel had the pillar of cloud/fire and God’s voice, they had what they needed.

When we have the Holy Spirit guiding and Christ interceding for us, we have what we need. The context changes, the truth doesn’t.

Warnings Against Idolatry and Greed:

Human nature hasn’t changed from Old to New. The idols of wood and stone in ancient times have their parallels in modern idols of money, power, pleasure. So the warnings remain similar.

The prophets thundered against Israel’s chasing of idols and trust in riches (see Amos, for example, condemning those who “are at ease in Zion” seeking luxury at the expense of righteousness).

In the New Testament, Jesus says you can’t serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). Paul says greed is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” essentially is a call to be content with the true God and not run after others.

That heartbeat continues straight through Scripture. John ends his first epistle with, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

The Bible’s storyline in a way is humanity continually running after things that don’t satisfy (broken cisterns, as Jeremiah 2:13 calls them) and God continually calling us back to the fountain of living water that is Himself.

So the struggle for contentment is part of spiritual warfare – will we let God be God in our lives or will we exalt something else in His place?

Fulfillment in Christ:

So many Old Testament hopes are fulfilled in Christ, and that includes our source of contentment. The sacrificial system offered temporary atonement, but Hebrews teaches that it could never make the worshipers perfect or fully at rest (Hebrews 10:1-2).

But Christ’s one sacrifice has perfected us positionally and gives us a clean conscience (Hebrews 9:14, 10:14). That addresses a huge area of discontent – guilt and striving to be right with God. In Christ, we can be content that it is “finished” (John 19:30).

Also, the OT priests were many and always changing; Jesus is our permanent high priest, giving us stability (Hebrews 7:23-24). The OT promised a Messiah who would bring peace and satisfaction (Isaiah 55 invites, “Come, buy wine and milk without money… your soul shall delight itself in fatness”).

Jesus is that Messiah. He stood in that temple and cried out to thirsty souls to come to Him (John 7:37). He said, “Come to Me…and I will give you rest.” He fed the multitudes miraculously, showing He is the new manna. Basically, He embodies God’s care and provision in a way that’s concrete.

No wonder Paul can say, “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). It’s through Jesus that all God’s promises are “Yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

So everything that could truly satisfy us is found in Jesus – forgiveness, love, guidance, eternal life. The Old Testament saints looked forward to that, sometimes understanding dimly.

We look back to and abide in a finished work and a present Savior. We have even more reason for contentment, having seen God’s love demonstrated on the cross and His power in the resurrection.

Hebrews 11 lists people who lived by faith (many in contentment amid trials) without having received the fulfillment of the promise in their lifetime. Hebrews 12 then points to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and urges us to run our race with endurance.

In other words, those OT believers contentedly trusted with less information; we have the privilege of knowing Christ personally, so we should be encouraged to trust and be content even more.

Eternal Perspective:

Both testaments teach us to value the eternal over the temporary. The Psalms and Ecclesiastes observe the fleeting nature of riches and life.

The New Testament amplifies this, reminding us that “the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17).

Contentment is closely tied to that eternal perspective. Hebrews 11:13 says of the heroes of faith, “they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

They were looking for a better country, a heavenly one. That allowed them to live in tents or wander without losing heart. We too are called pilgrims, with our true citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20).

The more we embrace that identity, the less grip the world’s troubles or enticements have on us. The Old Testament had prophecies of a coming kingdom of peace (e.g., Isaiah’s visions of the wolf and lamb lying together).

The New Testament reveals the ultimate fulfillment of those in Christ’s return and the new creation. Knowing that destiny helps us relax about present ups and downs. It’s like enduring a difficult journey because you know the destination is worth it.

The early Christians often encouraged each other with the hope of Jesus’ return (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:17-18). That hope produces perseverance and contentment because we know every wrong will be righted and every longing ultimately fulfilled.

We’re not desperate to make heaven on earth right now; we seek to do God’s will on earth, but our hope is anchored beyond this life.

In summary, the call to contentment is woven throughout the Bible’s narrative. In the Garden, humanity had contentment and lost it through sin. Throughout Israel’s history, contentment was found in covenant faithfulness and lost in idolatry.

In Christ, contentment is restored at the deepest level – peace with God – and we are invited to live out that contentment as we await the full restoration of all things. One day, we’ll stand in the New Heaven and New Earth where “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more” (Rev. 7:16).

Until then, we live in the “now and not yet.” We have the now of fellowship with God, which is the core of contentment, but the not yet of living in a fallen world. We can draw on all the scriptures, old and new, to encourage us on this journey toward complete contentment in God.

Conclusion

Contentment may seem like a rare jewel in our chaotic, discontented world, but it is a jewel that Christ offers freely to those who seek Him. It’s not reserved for a select few with easy lives or a laid-back personality. It’s for every believer who will take God at His word.

And it is learned over time, much like how we learn to walk step by step. We might stumble and fall into bouts of envy or complaint, but our loving Father encourages us to get back up and keep learning, empowered by His Spirit.

Let’s be honest: I’m writing about contentment, but I’m still on the journey myself. I have days where I’m content and days where I’m absolutely not. Perhaps you can relate.

Maybe you’re thinking, “This all sounds nice, but you don’t know my struggles.” It’s true, I don’t know them – but God does. And He still says contentment is possible in the midst of them.

If Paul could sing in prison, if a widow could give her last two coins and smile, if Jesus could have nowhere to lay His head and yet never be lacking, then there is hope for us.

Contentment doesn’t mean we plaster a fake smile and deny our problems. It means we find a deeper source of peace in the midst of those problems.

Like Habakkuk in the Old Testament – he looked around at crops failing and impending invasion and yet declared, “Though the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines… Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

That “yet I will rejoice” is the sound of contentment fighting through circumstances to proclaim that God is still good and enough. Sometimes contentment is a quiet acceptance; other times it’s a defiant declaration of trust in God when circumstances are screaming the opposite.

Wherever you are in your contentment journey, know that God is with you and for you. He wants you to live in the peace that Jesus gives: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27).

The world’s peace and contentment depend on ever-changing externals; Christ’s peace is solid, based on His unchanging love and presence. It’s like an anchor in a storm (Hebrews 6:19).

Every day we have a choice: to focus on what we lack and stir up discontent, or to focus on our Shepherd and count our blessings. It sounds simplistic, but those daily choices shape our hearts.

It might help to keep a gratitude journal, or to start each prayer time not with requests but with thanks. It might mean consciously reframing thoughts – instead of “I need X to be happy,” saying “I have Y and Z, and I’m trusting God about X.”

If you struggle with contentment (and I suspect we all do in various ways), here’s an encouragement: start where you are. Take that one area you’re most discontent about and bring it to God. Be honest with Him about it. Then try to find at least one thing to thank Him for in that area.

For instance, if you’re discontent in singleness, thank God for the friends and family you do have, and the time you can invest in serving or personal growth. If you’re discontent with your job, thank God that you have employment and pray for grace to learn and shine there. These aren’t clichés – they are real shifts in perspective that, over time, change our attitude.

Remember, you’re not doing this alone. Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” – that includes learning contentment! Christ is in you by His Spirit, shaping you from the inside out. He is patient; He will pick you up each time you fall. Contentment is really Christ’s character being formed in us, and He is committed to finishing the good work He began (Phil. 1:6).

Ultimately, contentment is a journey with Jesus. He is the source, the teacher, and the goal all at once. We will keep learning it until the day we see Him face to face. And on that day, all remaining discontent will melt away as He wipes every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). Our hearts will finally be totally, utterly, eternally content in Him.

In the meantime, we seek to echo the words of Psalm 73:25-26: “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

When God is our portion, we truly have all we need. May we each grow in grace to say with Paul, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Amen.

Citations

• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Content; Contentment” – Defines contentment as being free from care because of satisfaction with what one has​biblestudytools.com.
• Chaim Bentorah (Hebrew Word Study) – Notes that sabea’ (Hebrew for “full”) means satisfied, contented, happy, used for example in Job 42:17 when Job died “full of days”​chaimbentorah.com.
• Strong’s Greek Lexicon (BibleHub) – Autarkeia (G841) means self-sufficiency or contentment, indicating an inner sufficiency through Christ rather than needing external aid​biblehub.com.
• Morris Gieselman, “More on Contentment” (Blog) – Observes that in the OT sabea’ is used for being “full” or satisfied, and in the NT different words are used: autarkēs (Phil.4:11) and autarkeia (1Tim.6:6) for contentment, and arkeo for being content with wages or what we have (Luke 3:14, 1Tim.6:8, Heb.13:5)​morrisgieselman.wordpress.com​morrisgieselman.wordpress.com.
• GotQuestions.org, “What does it mean to be content?” – Emphasizes that contentment is learned through experiences, that it comes from relying on Christ’s strength, and that the opposite of contentment is anxious worry (citing Hebrews 13:5 and Matthew 6:25)​gotquestions.org​gotquestions.org.
• 1 Timothy 6:6–8 (KJV) – “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.”​biblehub.com
• Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) – “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.”​biblegateway.com
• Philippians 4:11–13 (KJV) – Paul testifies, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content… I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”​quod.lib.umich.edu
• Luke 3:14 (KJV) – “And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” (John the Baptist’s instruction to soldiers)​kingjamesbibleonline.org
• Psalm 23:1–2 (KJV) – “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.”​kingjamesbibleonline.org
• Psalm 131:2 (KJV) – “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.”​kingjamesbibleonline.org
• Proverbs 15:16 (KJV) – “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”​biblegateway.com
• Proverbs 30:8–9 (KJV) – “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny Thee… or lest I be poor, and steal…”​biblegateway.com
• Ecclesiastes 4:6 (KJV) – “Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”​biblegateway.com
• Ecclesiastes 5:10 (KJV) – “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”​kingjamesbibleonline.org
• Exodus 16:2–3 (KJV) – Israel’s complaint: “And the whole congregation… murmured… Would to God we had died in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and… did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”​biblestudytools.com
• Numbers 11:4–6 (KJV) – Further complaints: “Who shall give us flesh to eat?… now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.”​biblestudytools.com
• 1 Kings 21:4 (KJV) – “And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth… had spoken to him… and he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.” (King Ahab sulking when denied Naboth’s vineyard)​kingjamesbibleonline.org
• 2 Kings 4:13 (KJV) – “And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.” (The Shunammite woman’s content reply when offered special favors by Elisha)​biblehub.com
• John 6:35 (KJV) – “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.”​biblegateway.com
• Matthew 11:28 (KJV) – “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”​biblegateway.com
• Additional Scripture Cross-References: Psalm 73:25-26; Habakkuk 3:17-18; Isaiah 55:1-2; John 4:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 11:13-16; Revelation 7:16-17. These passages reinforce themes of finding satisfaction in God, the resolve to rejoice in God despite lack, God’s invitations to the thirsty, giving thanks in all things, living as pilgrims longing for a better country, and the promise of ultimate contentment in God’s presence.