I heard a sermon the other day that got me thinking about discontent in a different light. When researching for my second book: Christ-Centered Contentment, I stumbled across 100 different perspectives on subject. But, not once did I come across the following thought: Discontent can be a good thing. What!?! How!?!
When it comes down to it, discontent (which is spiritual in nature) is often an ill condition of the heart. For this reason, it is spoken against so strongly in Bible and churches across the world. When we have all that we need in Christ (2 Pet. 1:3), and we read verses like…
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’ so that we confidently say, ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?’ (Heb. 13:5-6, NASB)
…it is hard to rationalize discontent in the life of a Christian (other than attributing it to sin and self). God is for us and God is with us. How could anything we lack compare with this? A Christian can learn to be content in all circumstances. (Phil. 4:11) These are some of the key points I discuss in my book on contentment, and I am not straying in anyway from those beliefs. However, I have been challenged to add another layer to my definition of discontent.
Discontent is a motivator. It can be a powerful force to bring about change. There are plenty of examples of this in day-to-day life:
- We might look in the mirror after stepping out of the shower or putting on those pants that used to fit last season, and find ourselves discontent with our health.
- We might be up to our neck in bills and feeling more lost and behind with each passing month, and find ourselves discontent with our finances.
- We might find ourselves struggling to connect and struggling to keep the romance alive with our spouse, and find ourselves discontent in our marriage.
- We might admit that we distant from our Savior and are having our relationship with Christ growing cold and stagnant, and find ourselves discontent with our walk.
In all of these places, discontent can be a springboard for positive change. While I don’t think I am ready to move the word “discontent” on to a list of virtues, I am beginning to see that God often uses discontent to draw us to Himself. Ultimately, we are discontent whenever we try to define ourselves, our life, or our satisfaction in anything other than Him. In a matter of speaking, discontent—and most importantly, our reaction to it—can be a good thing. Discontent has a power to drive us to change. It has a power to drive us back to the only places our hearts and souls can find true contentment. Discontent can drive us back to God.
In conclusion, I still don’t believe discontent is a good thing in the life of a Christian. It shows that we are defining ourselves by things other than Christ. However, I recognize that it can be a powerful tool God uses to convince us to allow Him to enter into the places where we are discontent.
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