I started sharing three weeks ago about how to live the abundant life Jesus promised. Today, I want to talk about the importance of Godly contentment as we pursue God for the “more” that He promises.

For Jesus, living an abundant life isn’t just about reaching a future goal. It’s the core of our new life and relationship with Him, making every moment richer and more meaningful.

After sharing with His audience how they can recognize His voice and trust Him (John 10:1-21), and explaining that He is the door or entrance for the sheep, He beautifully emphasizes a message about abundant life:

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:9-10 NKJV

Let’s now examine Godly contentment and divine pursuit!

Principle #4: Embrace Contentment

Paul learned how to live in prosperity while remaining very humble. He discovered how to be content in every situation, at peace with what God provides each day.

Paul told Timothy that “godliness with contentment is great gain …” (1 Tim. 6:6 NKJV)

Notice in this short verse, there are two components: godliness (righteousness) and contentment. There is no true contentment for the unrighteous.

Righteous living provides a solid foundation for Godly contentment. A double-minded person is unstable in all their ways and will not find contentment when their allegiance is toward the things of the world rather than solely toward God.

Paul praised the Philippians for their generous support while he was in prison and shared a truth about Godly contentment.

11 I’m not saying this because I need anything, for I have learned how to be content in any circumstance. 12 I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor. 13 I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength. Phil. 4:11-13 CEB

On your journey to destiny, don’t complain along the way; learn to be content in every situation as you trust God! The children of Israel were led out of slavery into their destiny, only to complain during hardships, saying, “Well, it would be better to be back in Egypt; at least we had leeks and onions there.”

In the early nineties, Carolyn and I worked as missionaries in Haiti. Haiti’s power grid was unreliable at best. When we lived there, we often had electricity for only a few hours each day. To cope, most of us used generators and inverter systems to power our homes. I learned the importance of being content in God during our nine days without electricity.

After a couple of days, I started grumbling. Then, because we had no electricity to pump water to our water tank that fed our gravity-fed water system, we ran out of water for showers. So, I kept complaining.

Finally, on the ninth day, we unexpectedly ran out of stove gas. I couldn’t even make coffee that morning! I started to pray, asking for forgiveness for my complaining, and guess what happened? Later that day, the electricity came back on!

Thank God for every blessing, and be content with what you have while trusting in faith that your dreams will come true. Grumblers lack faith and rarely see mountains move!

The simple things are what truly matter. Godly contentment is great gain and a key part of living an abundant life! Enjoy each day with the Lord, loved ones, and friends. Being thankful for food, clothes, your home, and a simple life is essential. Keeping perspective is crucial for leading a happy and fulfilled life.

Paul and the early church learned to be content with each other. They faced challenges, but they valued community—meeting together regularly and from house to house. Paul felt at peace in prison because an abundant life was a state of being rooted in his life in Christ.

No church is perfect — you and I are part of it! But learn to be content and contribute as members of God’s household.

Being content also involves taking responsibility for yourself. Being a good steward of your time, your treasure, and your talents sets you up for an abundant life.

Use your time wisely and effectively to advance God’s kingdom. Dedicate the resources God gives you with a heart focused on expanding His kingdom—winning souls and making disciples. Use your gifts to bring Him glory; you are His workmanship, created for good works (Eph. 2:10).

Getting proper rest, nutrition, and exercise is essential for feeling content. Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually helps prevent negativity and depression (Prov. 4:23).

Principle #5: Be Content, but Also Learn to Ask God for More!

Paul declared in Ephesians 3:20 about the power of petitionary prayer that God would grant “…above all that we ask or think…” (NKJV).

Here lies a paradox in God’s Kingdom. We need to learn to be content, free from striving and grasping for “things” and “stuff.” Yet, God also challenges us to “ask for more!”

It’s a heart issue—a matter of stewardship. Are you able to be trusted with more? What motivates your desire for more—are you focused on the Kingdom?

Above everything we ask or imagine—the limitless nature of God—but you and I need to ask.

Jesus said,

9 And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened. 11 “Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? 12 If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? 13 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? Luke 11:9-13 CEB

Hmmm, “… ask and you will receive … how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Sounds like abundance to me!

The three imperatives (ask, seek, and knock) are in the Greek present tense, indicating ongoing asking, seeking, and knocking. In Greek, ask is aitéo, which means to request or petition someone of a higher rank.

I explore this further in my book, Our Eyes are On You: Principles to Prevail in Faith and Prayer.

There is something in asking that releases God’s power (Eph. 3:20): “…according to the power that works in us,” in and through us. Petitionary prayer puts a demand on heaven. Genuine faith moves God’s heart to respond. Motives are crucial.

Ask yourself, “Are my motives kingdom-focused?”

In the mid-90s, Carolyn and I served as youth leaders at a church in central Florida. We needed a newer vehicle for our family. But after returning from Haiti as a missionary the previous year, I had a “poverty mentality.” In my effort to be a good steward of God’s resources, I was conservative with our funds when making purchases. It was affecting my thinking—and my family.

So, when we started praying for a minivan for our family, at first, I felt “shame for asking.” My attitude was, “Well, what about the poor? They could never buy a van like we want.” Again, I was influenced by our experience with systemic poverty while on the mission field. But my thinking was stuck in a poverty mindset and false humility.

We needed a reliable vehicle for our family; false humility was not God’s plan for us. Don’t become arrogant, but don’t fall into false humility either! Once I let go of this mindset, we began praying in agreement for a vehicle, and God quickly provided us with a nice Plymouth Voyager minivan that we used for a few years. The vehicle was God’s blessing for our family and the ministry we’re called to—others were blessed because we received God’s blessing.

The Lord is good, and you are blessed when you trust Him completely!

David wrote after reaching an especially low point in his life.

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:8-10NKJV

These are powerful declarative statements and promises—trust Him always!

The Lord wants to provide everything you need to run your race well and finish strong—He is the good shepherd!

Next week, I’ll finish this series on living an abundant life with a look at standing firm and fighting the enemy with the power of Christ!