Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – 365 Days Of Guidance – Day 30 – 1 Timothy 6:6-8 – Be Content – Growing As Disciples
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NLT)
What Will Last?
You know that you can’t take anything with you when you leave this life? Yes, I know that. Have you been slow to come to this realization or have you known it all along? I wouldn’t say that I have known that I can’t take anything with me all along, that’s for sure. What would you say? I would say that even now, I lose sight of the fact that I can’t take anything with me when I leave this world. Why is that? Too often I find myself pursuing money and all the things that it can buy. I must tell myself that if I can’t take something with me I might as well get maximum enjoyment and contentment from it while I have it now. Let’s talk about contentment since you have used that word. I’m listening. Have you found contentment with money and all that it can buy? Think of something that you have had to have. Do you have something in mind? Yes, I do. What do you have in mind? I have a red convertible sports car in my mind. You wanted that for a very long time didn’t you? Yes, I did. You thought that you had to have that shiny red convertible sports car? Yes, I did. You thought your life would be filled with joy and excitement once you had that shiny new sports car didn’t you? Yes, I did. You finally got the car didn’t you? Yes, I did. That was a very exciting joy filled day, wasn’t it? Yes, it was. How long did your joy and excitement last with the purchase of your new car? I was excited about the shiny new sports car for a couple months at the most. That’s It? Yes, that was it. What happened to your exciting shiny new red sports car? It became a car. I had it. It was mine. I was no longer excited about it. It did not fill me with joy. What then? After the sports car, I started to want something else that was bigger and even better. I wanted something more that would fill me with excitement, joy, and contentment. I’m not even going to ask you about that. But, what have you found out? I have found out that money and all that it can purchase will never fill me with lasting joy and contentment. It is foolish to pursue what can’t make me content. It is doubly foolish to pursue what I can’t take with me when I leave this world. Yes, it is. No amount of money or no accumulation of things will ever make me content and fill the void of emptiness that always leaves me wanting more. That’s right.
You however can fill the emptiness that I feel inside. You can fill me with joy and contentment now and forever. Yes, I can. I have learned that as I love, follow, and serve you, I will be filled joy and contentment that will never end. Yes, you will. I have also learned that I can take something with me when I leave this life. What’s that? I can take with me the fruit that you have born in and through my life as I have loved, followed, and served you. Yes, you can. You will bear fruit through my life that will last forever. Yes, I will. Now that is something that will bring me lasting joy and contentment! Yes, it is.
Lord, I have sought contentment through money and all that it could buy in this world. I have learned that pursuing what I can’t take with me, out of this life, is foolish. Help me to continue to learn to be content, as I love, follow, and serve you. Amen
Key Question… Why will money and all that it can buy never be able to make you content?
Living It Out… Pursue a contented life of loving, following, and serving the Lord.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will bring contentment into your life as you love, follow, and serve Him.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how loving, following, and serving the Lord has made you content in life.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you pursue a godly and contented life of loving, following, and serving the Lord.
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