Whosoever Thirsts

12.07.09
J.A. Matteson

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

A delightful aspect of grace in a believer’s life is the transformation of the desires of the heart. King David observed the miracle of grace in his own life, “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures” (Ps. 36:7-8). By contract the natural man attempts to quell the unrest in his soul though an assortment of temporal alternatives, some of which may actually provide a deceitful form of solace, but like external anesthetic to the skin their effect is brief and soon the empty soul once again scourers the landscape of worldly balms to a ease the nagging discontentment within.

Intrinsic to the worlds understanding of gain is the presumption of an improvement to ones lot. The natural man, blind to the working of providence and spiritual light, finds the desired gain of inner contentment allusive because every object of his hoped relief is temporal and jaded by the fall. Within the fallen creation is the natural order of all things seen and unseen, physical and spiritual. The fallen world system affords many false allurements to the weary soul, pandering to the insatiable thirst for the gain of contentment. The Apostle prior to conversion sought contentment though the natural means of worldly power, position, prosperity, and popularity. Grace unto salvation taught him that real contentment is the fruit of justification and abiding in the true Vine, for genuine lasting contentment cannot be found apart from grace—it is a gift of God—and the sons of men living life under the sun are consigned to the drudgery of chasing a mirage through the desert sands of discontentment; Solomon under inspiration by the Holy Spirit observed, “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind” (Eccl. 2:26).

Godly contentment influences all areas of life, health, possessions, relationships, and position by infusing grace within the heart, yielding a perspective of wellbeing irrespective of circumstances which may be perceived as contrary, undergirded with a childlike trust in the goodness of the Father, receiving providential realities as gifts from the Lord for sanctification which will culminate in glorification.

Contentment is evidenced by an attitude of gratitude; discontentment is known by complaining. Contentment has as its focus the excellencies of knowing Christ Jesus; discontentment is focused on self exaltation. Contentment is the fruit of intimacy with Christ—as the pilgrim draws closer to Christ, He draws closer to him and His presence yields a supernatural contentment; discontentment reveals a heart distanced from the nourishment which the Vine supplies. Contentment considers each day a gift and seeks to share the gift of Christ; discontentment is obsessed with the future attainment and utilization of worldly amusements. Contentment receives providence with the assurance that good is resulting; discontentment is anxious and preoccupied with dread. Contentment acknowledges the mysteries of the Lord, that His wisdom and ways are supreme; discontentment applies human reasoning of divine prerogatives. Contentment interprets unexpected providences against the backdrop of Calvary, not questioning the love of the Savior for His sheep; discontentment questions the wisdom and love of God. Contentment finds the pursuits of worldly gain boring and tarnished, unworthy of time and energy as contrasted to the surpassing riches of Christ.

If godly contentment is elusive to you it is because you are drinking from the wrong well, Jesus Christ alone is the source of eternal contentment, He calls now to whosoever thirsts, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

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