Are you content, or is your life about accumulating content? If you hope to live a restful and balanced life you must come to grips with the issue of contentment.

The story is told that a reporter once asked John D. Rockefeller how much money is enough to which it is said he replied, “Just a little bit more.” How much is enough? Before you can answer this question, you must first define how much is enough. According to 1st Timothy 6:8 “And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” Notice housing, cars, boats, 401K plans, and air conditioning aren’t mentioned.

Yes, I know some of those items hadn’t even been invented when this verse was written. However, I think it’s plain to see what is being addressed here are the basics of life, our needs not our greed. If you are looking for things and money to bring happiness and contentment you are in for a rude awakening.

Over the past two years I discovered and embraced minimalism, which really helped me recognize my struggle with possessions and contentment in my life. My favorite minimalist is Joshua Becker, check him out on YouTube. He doesn’t just address possessions but other areas of life where we can embrace minimalism. More on minimalism another time, but for today let’s look at the matter of contentment.

We’ve heard of business tycoons, professional athletes, and celebrities – who seemingly have it all but aren’t happy and never seem to gain contentment. One of the reasons we pursue stuff – is we think it will satisfy and provide security. To a degree it does both, but its only temporary. In the end things bring neither satisfaction nor security.

Storage facilities are one of the largest sectors in today’s real estate market. In 2019 annual self-storage revenue was 39.5 billion dollars and the average monthly storage unit cost $88.85. We have television programs like Storage Wars, Hoarders, and American Pickers that reveal just how much stuff, dominates our lives. Which one of us hasn’t visited or hosted a yard sale to get rid of our junk or someone else’s junk supposedly becomes our treasure?

How many towels does a family need? And do you really need 6 spatulas clogging up your kitchen drawers? The writer of proverbs says, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with the food allotted to me: Lest I be full and deny You, and say, who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” The apostle Paul said, “not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Timothy goes on to say, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Contentment is not just about your attitude toward possessions but being content in all areas of life and in whatever circumstances you find yourself in. A focus on possessions and the things of this world leads to worry, discontentment, and restlessness. Whereas contentment leads to peace, rest, confidence, and trust in God.

• YouTube