A Prayer for Contentment in All Areas of Life - Your Daily Prayer - September 23
A Prayer for Contentment in All Areas of Life
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading
“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. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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 6:6-10).
Listen or Read Below:
I was talking with a friend the other day when she mentioned, “What is your life’s passion?” While my friend and I have been friends for many years, our lives are radically different. She is married with multiple children, while I'm still trying to figure out my life.
When I confided in her, I knew she would offer wisdom, grace, and compassion in my situation. However, when she asked me what my life's passion was, I was a little surprised. I knew my answer automatically was “to serve Jesus.” But I didn't know in what capacity. My friend replied, “How are you going to serve Jesus?”
This question has stayed with me, leaving me to ponder my life. As she mentioned earlier in our conversation, life will feel empty if our only focus is our career, success, and earning money. While my passion has never been to make more and more money, it is something that drives me. Since I grew up in poverty, I have always been afraid that I will fall back into it.
Therefore, working, being successful, and making enough money has become my passion—even though I had not realized it. It took the wise counsel of my friend to bring me back to the Lord. Yes, we all need to make money and have enough funds to survive, but it should not be our driving force.
Think about it, what gets you up in the morning? Is it the joy of starting a new day? Hearing your family downstairs? Or the inner anxiety pushing you to make more money?
Unfortunately, I do not think I'm unique in this area. This is why we need to consult the Word of God and find solace in His tender loving care.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “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. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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 6:6-10).
If we are going to eradicate inner passion for money, wealth, or success, we must practice contentment. Nothing we receive or obtain in this world will carry on into the life to come. Rather than focusing on material wealth or personal achievements, we need to focus on godliness and contentment. We can do this by giving thanks to God for all His blessings.
Give Him thanks for the rising sun in the morning, the warmer weather after a frigid day, a healthy check-up at the doctor, or your family and friends. All these things can bring our hearts to a place of contentment. We can cultivate godliness by turning to the Lord in prayer, reading the Bible, and applying the Bible’s teachings in our daily lives. The more we focus on the Lord and His blessings, the more our hearts will linger away from a desire for want.
Let's Pray
“Dear Jesus, without knowing, I have managed to develop a passion for money and success. Please help my heart to be led back to you. Cultivate a heart of contentment within me, not a heart of want. I understand this process will take time, but I'm choosing to trust in You. Anytime my heart is prone to wander toward the direction of discontent, remind me of your blessings, Lord. I cannot take anything out of this world when I leave. Therefore, there is no reason to become obsessed with the things of this world, such as materialism or items that I own. I'm surrendering my wanting heart to You today, Lord. Shape me to be more like You. In Your Name, I pray, Amen.”
Discuss today’s devotional with others in the Your Daily Prayer thread on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Radu Florin
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