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Contentment is a Melody

As I listened last Sunday to our minister reading Philippians 4:12, the word CONTENT suddenly became a billboard in my mind. The Apostle Paul used this word, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.“


The King James Versions uses the word ‘abound” – to be copiously supplied. I remember how often Mom said that she was so spoiled. When I asked her about her comment, she replied, “God spoils me on every hand – giving me so many blessings.” This was during her terminal illness. She accepted her physical condition and dwelt upon her spiritual life. It was hard for me to grasp that she could be thankful when each day was filled with pain. She taught me to see God in all things, and above all – rejoice.

Questions crowded my mind about contentment….questions that demanded answers.
  • What is contentment? When do you know it is within your grasp?
  • In my 80 years had I experienced true contentment?
  • Is contentment circumstantial coupled with a new experience that exhilarates the mind and soul?
  • Has my family felt this contentment in the past?
  • Is contentment a mind condition or a soul condition, or just a feeling?
  • Is it something one learns? Is it like humility — when you recognize your humility, you are no longer humble?
  • How do we know when it is achieved?
  • Is it, like the Apostle indicates, that contentment is a choice?
This illusive quality of contentment is the topic of the six steps to achieve contentment that John MacArthur wrote about in his article posted on Christianity.com. (J. MacArthur is a noted teacher and pastor). After thinking about the six steps, I realized that one without the other, is like a puzzle with missing pieces. They are are of one piece and listed below.
  • Learn to give thanks in all things (Ephesians 5:18-20; I Thessalonians 5:18)
  • Learn to rest in God’s providence (Romans 8:28; I Peter 4:12-13)
  • Learn to be satisfied with little (I Timothy 6:6)
  • Learn to live above life’s circumstances (II Corinthians 12:9-10
  • Learn to rely on God’s power and provision (Hebrews 13:5;, Ephesians 3:16)
  • Become preoccupied with the well-being of others (Philippians 2:3-4; Proverbs 11:24-5; 19:17; II Corinthians 9:6)
Ephesians 5:19-20 – Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is this realistic? All the ‘what if’s‘ crowd my mind. Losing something that is necessary and precious to us – and yet be thankful to God – for everything. I think about my ancestors, the Brunn’s, Suderman’s, Loewen’s, Siemens, Leppke’s, who followed their dream of the freedom of worshiping God, trusting God through centuries and lifetimes and countries. Were they thankful for the ship, in which they crossed the Atlantic ocean. Were they thankful during the birth of a baby on this ship and the storms they encountered? Were they thankful for the sparse food they brought with them?

The Siemens record shows that on August 16, 1874, the Jacob Siemens family left Hamburg, Germany, with a passenger list of twelve members from the age of 79 to 1. They had paid $28.00 for 9 adults and 50 cents for 3 below the age of 14. On August 21, 1874, it is recorded that they had a terrific scare when fire broke out below. All passengers were ordered on deck as the ship’s crew worked several hours to put out the fire and they could return to their cabins.

On September 2, 1874, they landed at Hoboken, New York, and boarded a train in New York on the 4th of September. Then they arrived in Topeka by train on September 8th. They were taken to an empty factory building. On October 1, they arrived at Hutchinson, Kansas and purchased 35,000 acres of land – at the cost from $3 to 5 dollars per acre.

How many times were they tempted to go back to Russia? How many times did they doubt their move? How many times did mothers wonder how they would feed their children? How many times did they long for the familiar? Yet they chose to thank G
od, trust in His providence, live above the circumstances of their present, relying on God’s power and provision?

They were content in their faith in God and their trust in Him! They obeyed the scripture – Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you.…I Thessalonians 4:11.

One other life story I found, concerns my great Uncle Solomon Loewen, the baby brother of my Grandmother Anna Suderman. His life amazed me. The curiosity of God’s creation led him to teaching Biology (also termed as bug-o-logy), zoology and other sciences at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas. In his chronicle of life, complete with drawings such as the wing of a horse fly – Tabanus. He typed this document on the computer that he acquired at the age of 92 to make faster progress. His last fall, most called an accident, but he didn’t consider this an accident. Uncle Sol wondered why he had to go through this experience and studied the questions one by one in the light of the scriptures. Yet he said, “Life has been a pleasure even when I have been ‘down and out’.” He discovered that his walk spoke louder than his talk. He said, This experienced has reduced me to dust and I have been impressed about what God can do ‘with dust’. Psalm 19:1-6 fascinated him to no end. (Quoted below)

Yes, we are all pilgrims on a journey through this life. This journey can become difficult when the things of the world get in the way of our perception of focus on the building blocks of contentment. But when we rest in the Lord, and give Him reign over our lives…always learning…trusting, serving others…. we find peace and joy, and yes, contentment. We find our melody for life.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.
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