Food for Thought
'Food for Thought' is the free monthly, Bible-based meal for individual digestion or group feasting, and is a work of the Holy Spirit.
AUGUST 2026 - BE CONTENT
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you' " (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
It can be difficult to be content in a world that venerates the wealthy, the beautiful, and the successful; a world that exhorts us to never be satisfied with what we have, to always be increasing and upgrading our possessions, to be upwardly mobile. How can we live in the world and be content? The first thing to realize is that contentment is not determined by our circumstances but by our attitude towards those circumstances. If we are not content, we need to change our attitude, and to change our attitude, we must first decide to change it and then ask God to help us.
Deciding to change our attitude can be hard. We must desire to change, and we must want to be content. Why should we want to be content? Because:
* God's word exhorts us to be content. "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV).
* There is a correlation between being content and trusting God, and we want to trust God. "And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it ... your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well" (Luke 12:29-31 NIV). "Love and accept the present moment as the best, with perfect trust in God's universal goodness ... God's purpose for us is always what will contribute most to our good" (Jean-Pierre de Caussade).
When we have decided to change our attitude, we must ask God for help. Read Habakkuk 3:17-19. Despite adverse circumstances, Habakkuk says, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength" (18,19a NIV). Apostle Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through him (Christ) who gives me strength" (NIV). We need to ask God for the strength to be content in every situation. Knowing that God is with us in our circumstances and that he understands, helps us to be content. Edith Reuss (who died at age 34 of lupus) wrote in her suffering, "Joy is a deep, soul-realizing knowledge that whatever our situation, God is hanging in there with us. He rejoices when we rejoice; he cries when we cry ... He is always there."
Beware of Satan's schemes to undermine your contentment. Advertising is designed to make you feel dissatisfied with what you have so that you will be motivated to buy what is bigger, better, easier, nicer. The "prosperity gospel", which some pastors preach, encourages you to focus on material wealth by promising you financial blessings from God -- if you plant seeds (money) in God's kingdom (the church) and have enough faith. Remind yourself of God's words in the following scriptures:
"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21 NIV).
"A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15 NIV).
"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise ..." (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV).
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV).
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5 NIV).
"You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:2b-3 NIV).
"Do not love the world or anything in the world ... The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17 NIV).
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV).
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"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you' " (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
It can be difficult to be content in a world that venerates the wealthy, the beautiful, and the successful; a world that exhorts us to never be satisfied with what we have, to always be increasing and upgrading our possessions, to be upwardly mobile. How can we live in the world and be content? The first thing to realize is that contentment is not determined by our circumstances but by our attitude towards those circumstances. If we are not content, we need to change our attitude, and to change our attitude, we must first decide to change it and then ask God to help us.
Deciding to change our attitude can be hard. We must desire to change, and we must want to be content. Why should we want to be content? Because:
* God's word exhorts us to be content. "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV).
* There is a correlation between being content and trusting God, and we want to trust God. "And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it ... your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well" (Luke 12:29-31 NIV). "Love and accept the present moment as the best, with perfect trust in God's universal goodness ... God's purpose for us is always what will contribute most to our good" (Jean-Pierre de Caussade).
When we have decided to change our attitude, we must ask God for help. Read Habakkuk 3:17-19. Despite adverse circumstances, Habakkuk says, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength" (18,19a NIV). Apostle Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through him (Christ) who gives me strength" (NIV). We need to ask God for the strength to be content in every situation. Knowing that God is with us in our circumstances and that he understands, helps us to be content. Edith Reuss (who died at age 34 of lupus) wrote in her suffering, "Joy is a deep, soul-realizing knowledge that whatever our situation, God is hanging in there with us. He rejoices when we rejoice; he cries when we cry ... He is always there."
Beware of Satan's schemes to undermine your contentment. Advertising is designed to make you feel dissatisfied with what you have so that you will be motivated to buy what is bigger, better, easier, nicer. The "prosperity gospel", which some pastors preach, encourages you to focus on material wealth by promising you financial blessings from God -- if you plant seeds (money) in God's kingdom (the church) and have enough faith. Remind yourself of God's words in the following scriptures:
"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21 NIV).
"A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15 NIV).
"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise ..." (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV).
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV).
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5 NIV).
"You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:2b-3 NIV).
"Do not love the world or anything in the world ... The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17 NIV).
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV).
To Subscribe
Please click the SUBSCRIBE button below, enter your email address in the box provided, and click the SUBSCRIBE button a second time. Thank you.