Contentment

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Contentment . 1. The word does not occur in the OT, but the duty is implied in the Tenth Commandment (  Exodus 20:17 ), and the wisdom of contentment is enforced in   Proverbs 15:17;   Proverbs 17:1 by the consideration that those who seem most enviable may, be worse off than ourselves. But the bare commandment ‘Thou shalt not covet’ may only stir up all manner of coveting (  Romans 7:7 f.); and though a man may sometimes be reconciled to his lot by recognizing a principle of compensation in human life, that principle is far from applying to every case. It is not by measuring ourselves with one another, but only by consciously setting ourselves in the Divine presence, that true contentment can ever be attained. Faith in God is its living root (cf.   Psalms 16:6 with   Psalms 16:5; also   Habakkuk 3:17 f.).

2. In the NT the grace of contentment is expressly brought before us. Our Lord inculcated it negatively by His warnings against covetousness (  Luke 12:15-21 ), positively by His teaching as to the Fatherhood of God (  Matthew 6:25-32 ||) and the Kingdom of God (  Matthew 6:33 , cf.   Matthew 6:19 f.). St. Paul (  Philippians 4:11-13 ) claims to have ‘learned the secret’ of being content in whatsoever state he was. The word he uses is autarkçs , lit. ‘self-sufficient.’ It was a characteristic word of the Stoic philosophy, implying an independence of everything outside of oneself. The Apostle’s self-sufficiency was of a very different kind (see   Philippians 4:13 ), for it rested on that great promise of Christ, ‘My grace is sufficient ( arkei ) for thee’ (  2 Corinthians 12:9 ). Christian contentment comes not from a Stoic narrowing of our desires, but from the sense of being filled with the riches of Christ’s grace. For other NT utterances see   1 Timothy 6:8 ,   Hebrews 13:5 .

J. C. Lambert.

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

Is a disposition of mind in which our desires are confined to what we enjoy, without murmuring at our lot, or wishing ardently for more. It stands opposed to envy,  James 3:16 . to avarice,  Hebrews 13:5 . to pride and ambition,  Proverbs 13:10 . to anxiety of mind,  Matthew 6:25;  Matthew 6:34 . to murmurings and repinings,  1 Corinthians 10:10 . Contentment does not imply unconcern about our welfare, or that we should not have a sense of any thing uneasy or distressing; nor does it give any countenance to idleness, or prevent diligent endeavours to improve our circumstances. It implies, however, that our desires of worldly good be moderate; that we do not indulge unnecessary care, or use unlawful efforts to better ourselves; but that we acquiesce with and make the best of our condition, whatever it be. Contentment arises not from a man's outward condition, but from his inward disposition, and is the genuine offspring of humility, attended with a fixed habitual sense of God's particular providence, the recollection of past mercies, and a just estimate of the true nature of all earthly things Motives to contentment arise from the consideration of the rectitude of the Divine government,  Psalms 97:1-2 . the benignity of the Divine providence,  Psalms 145:1-21 : the greatness of the Divine promises,   2 Peter 1:4 . our own unworthiness,  Genesis 32:1-10 . the punishments we deserve,  Lamentations 3:39-40 . the reward which contentment itself brings with it,  1 Timothy 6:6 . the speedy termination of all our troubles here, and the prospect of eternal felicity in a future state,  Romans 5:2 . Barrow's Works, vol. 3: ser. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Burroughs on Contentment; Watson's Art of ditto; Hale's Con. p 59; Mason's Christian Morals, vol. 1: ser.2.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Timothy 6:6 2 9:8 James 3:16 Hebrews 13:5 Proverbs 13:10 Matthew 6:25,34 1 Corinthians 10:10 Psalm 96:1,2 145 2 Peter 1:4 Genesis 32:10 Romans 5:2

Charles Spurgeon's Illustration Collection

Making a day's excursion from Botzen in the Tyrol, we went along the very narrowest of road's, mere alleys, to which our country lanes would be turnpike roads. Well, you may be sure that we did not engage an ordinary broad carriage, for that would have found the passage as difficult as the needle's eye to the camel; but our landlord had a very narrow chaise for us, just the very thing for threading those fourfeet passages. Now, I must make you hear the moral of it, you fretful little gentlemen. When you have a small estate, you must have small wheels, and by contentment suit your carriage to your road. 'Not so easy,' say you? 'Very necessary to A Christian,' say I.

Holman Bible Dictionary

arkew   Hebrews 13:15  1 Timothy 6:6-10 Matthew 6:34 Luke 12:19 Philippians 4:11-13 John 14:8-9 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

King James Dictionary

CONTENTMENT, n.

1. Content a resting or satisfaction of mind without disquiet acquiescence.

Contentment, without external honor, is humility.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.  1 Timothy 6 .

2. Gratification.

At Paris the prince spent a day, to give his mind some contentment.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (v. t.) Gratification; pleasure; satisfaction.

(2): (v. t.) The act or process of contenting or satisfying; as, the contentment of avarice is impossible.

(3): (v. t.) The state of being contented or satisfied; content.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Αὐταρκεία ,  1 Timothy 6:6; "sufficiency,"  2 Corinthians 9:8) is a disposition of mind in which our desires are confined to what we enjoy without murmuring at our lot, or wishing ardently for more. It stands opposed to envy ( James 3:16); to avarice ( Hebrews 13:5) to pride and ambition ( Proverbs 13:10); to anxiety of mind ( Matthew 6:25;  Matthew 6:34); to murmurings and repinings ( 1 Corinthians 10:10). Contentment does not imply unconcern about our welfare, or that we should not have a sense of anything uneasy or distressing; nor does it give any countenance to idleness, or prevent diligent endeavors to improve our circumstances. It implies, however, that our desires of worldly good be moderate; that we do not indulge unnecessary care, or use unlawful efforts to better ourselves; but that we acquiesce with, and make the best of our condition, whatever it be. Contentment arises not from a man's outward condition, but from his inward disposition, and is the genuine offspring of humility, attended with a fixed habitual sense of God's particular providence, the recollection of past mercies, and a just estimate of the true nature of all earthly things. Motives to contentment arise from the consideration of the rectitude of the divine government ( Psalms 97:1-2), the benignity of the divine providence (Psalms 145), the greatness of the divine promises ( 2 Peter 1:4), our own unworthiness ( Genesis 32:10), the punishments we deserve ( Lamentations 3:39-40), the reward which contentment itself brings with it ( 1 Timothy 6:6), the speedy termination of all our troubles here, and the prospect of eternal felicity in a future state ( Romans 5:2) See Barrow, Works , 3, ser. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Burrows, On Contentment ; Watson, Art Of Contentment ; Dwight, Theology, ser. 129; Fellowes, Theology, 2:423, 500.