Living Content in a Culture of "More"
Pastor Victoria Sowell
In our society, especially as the holiday season approaches, there's a push toward consumerism, comparison, and the quest for more. While Thanksgiving calls us to pause and appreciate what we have, it's also a time when we’re surrounded by the rush to buy, decorate, and fill our lives with things that are often fleeting. Amid all the noise, the challenge to truly say "enough is enough" resonates: Could what we already have and the life God has given us today be enough? Click the link above for the full message.
When we let God define what is "enough," we find ourselves in a place of peace, gratitude, and genuine contentment. Here’s how we can pursue a life that values godliness and contentment over the endless pursuit of "more."
Finding Satisfaction in God: What Truly Brings Great Gain?
In the New Testament, Paul advises Timothy on guiding the church in Ephesus, a city where wealth and status were highly prized. Like our own culture, Ephesus saw wealth as the ultimate goal, often equating financial success with spiritual standing. But Paul calls believers to refocus their ambitions—not on material wealth, but on godliness and contentment.
"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6, NIV). In God’s kingdom, gain looks different than in the world. True gain comes when we let go of the need for constant increase and let God's presence satisfy our hearts. As we aim for godliness, our lives align more closely with Jesus, bringing wisdom, clarity, and peace into our everyday decisions.
What Defines Success?
Ask yourself: What defines "success" in your life? Is it status, financial security, or stability? If we believe that true success is defined by faithfulness to God, we see life through a new lens. When we seek satisfaction in God, our earthly pursuits take their rightful place. Contentment doesn’t mean abandoning dreams or ambitions; it means knowing that no achievement or possession can fulfill us like our relationship with God.
Discontent: A Tale as Old as Time
Today, we often talk about the relentless pace of modern life, the endless updates, and the new forms of social pressure. Yet, the struggle for contentment isn’t unique to our era. Humanity's thirst for "more" dates back to the Garden of Eden, where Eve was tempted by the lie that God was holding something back. That belief—that there’s always more we’re missing—continues to distract us from the fullness we already have in God.
As Jesus reminds us in Matthew 22:36, the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is where true contentment begins: putting God at the center of our lives. When He occupies our hearts and minds, we no longer live in pursuit of lesser things. God becomes our greatest desire, freeing us from the need for constant accumulation and comparison.
The Trap of the Grind: Is It Worth It?
Our culture glorifies the "grind"—the hustle and hard work to get ahead. While there’s beauty in ambition and diligence, the reality is that earthly success is always temporary. Markets crash, companies restructure, relationships change. The peace that comes from a paycheck or promotion is fleeting. Only God offers us a constant foundation.
In Psalm 46:1, we’re reminded that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Earthly security may come and go, but God’s love and stability never change. Rather than basing our peace on things that can vanish, we’re called to build our lives on the only foundation that stands firm: God Himself.
Learning Contentment: It’s Possible
The 16th-century preacher Thomas Watson called contentment a "rare jewel"—and one that can be learned. While our culture doesn’t often talk about contentment, it’s a quality that Scripture calls us to pursue actively. When we pray for God’s help and turn our hearts toward Him, He can change our perspectives.
In 1 Timothy 6:7-8, Paul emphasizes, "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." This mindset challenges us to see life as temporary and to hold our possessions loosely. Instead of constantly striving for more, we can trust that God will provide what we need.
Practical Ways to Embrace Contentment
Here are some practical steps for cultivating contentment in our daily lives:
Focus on what you have: Start a daily gratitude practice by listing three things you're thankful for, no matter how small. This habit helps reframe our thinking and reminds us that we’re living in answered prayers.
Practice generosity: Give regularly, even in small ways. Generosity reminds us that our resources are tools, not treasures, and it keeps our hearts open and aligned with God’s purpose.
Simplify your life: Declutter, both physically and mentally. Take time off from social media, pause before making purchases, and create margin in your life for what truly matters.
Consume God’s Word: Dive into Scripture daily, letting His truth inform your thoughts and actions. Consuming God’s truth replaces the lies of culture with God’s promises and perspective.
Letting Go of What Won't Last
Consider what truly matters as we head into eternity. In 1 John 2:15-17, we read, “Do not love the world or the things in the world... And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Here, John reminds us that our lives are temporary, and so are most of our desires. True satisfaction is found not in accumulation, but in a relationship with God.
C.S. Lewis once wrote, "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world." If our ultimate longing is for something that this world can’t give, perhaps that longing is meant to lead us closer to God.
Rethinking Treasure: What Do You Love?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It’s an invitation to redefine what we call "treasure." Instead of investing in things that will eventually pass away, we’re called to seek heavenly rewards—those that endure forever.
The love of money, as Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10, is the root of all kinds of evil. Money itself isn’t the issue; it’s the heart’s attachment to it that causes harm. John Mark Comer notes, "Simplicity is freedom, duplicity is bondage." When we love God wholeheartedly, money and possessions can find their rightful place as tools to be used rather than treasures to be hoarded.
How Will We Approach the Holiday Season?
The holiday season brings its own unique pressures and joys. We’re bombarded with advertisements and sales pitches, and it’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game. But this time of year also offers a chance to intentionally choose gratitude and simplicity over the drive for more.
God invites us to celebrate, to gather, to enjoy the season without losing sight of what truly matters. Let this be a time to focus on godliness and contentment, keeping our eyes on what lasts beyond the holidays.
Practical Tips for a Meaningful Holiday Season
Keep gatherings simple: Prioritize meaningful moments over elaborate displays.
Focus on experiences over things: Plan activities that create memories, rather than solely focusing on gifts.
Pray and reflect: Set aside time to pause and thank God for His blessings, centering your heart on Him as the season unfolds.
Keys for Living Content in a Culture of “More”
Here are some daily habits that can help us cultivate lives of godliness and contentment:
Focus on Gratitude: Reflect daily on what God has already given, listing specific blessings, both big and small.
Practice Generosity: Giving in both big and small ways keeps us open-handed, reminding us that all we have is from God.
Embrace Simplicity: Simplify schedules, prioritize people over purchases, and resist the pressure to compare.
Anchor in God’s Word: Spend time in Scripture and let it transform your thoughts and actions, grounding you in God’s truth.
In a world that tells us we need more, may we find peace in knowing that with God, we have all we need.
Further Reading
"The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer – A book on slowing down and finding contentment in God, available on Amazon.
"Counterfeit Gods" by Timothy Keller – An insightful look at the idols of wealth, power, and love, and how to seek true fulfillment in God.
Other Links
Want to hear more? Check out last week’s message titled, Overcoming the Lies of Fear.
Looking for more resources? Visit View Church’s Resources Page.