Thanks for joining us for the Living Strategically podcast! In our current series, we are talking about money and possessions and what the Bible says about biblical stewardship. In this episode, we ask ourselves, “Do we have enough?” and “How can Christians find true and lasting happiness?” The answers can be found in cultivating contentment in our lives.
At Living Strategically, we define contentment as “the attitude of gratefully accepting what God gives, while gracefully releasing what He withholds”. We believe that contentment is not about a number, or achieving a certain amount of wealth to be satisfied. It’s about the attitude of the heart, being content with whatever God blesses you with to manage for His glory.
Christian financial advisor Ron Blue summarizes contentment this way:
“No financial principle can have a greater impact on you or free you up more than this truth: Money is not the key to contentment! Contentment has everything to do with your relationship with God and nothing to do with your money. Once you are free from the love of money and the pursuit of it, you can have a lot or a little and be content all the same. At that point you have learned the secret to contentment.”
If we want to take hold of that which is life indeed, then we need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness! By prioritizing that which really matters in life, sort of recalibrating our priorities, we can reach a point of true fulfillment in life. Now that is thinking strategically!
Scripture from this Episode
Want to go deeper in this study? Click on this image to download our FREE eBook on Biblical Stewardship.
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6, NASB
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.” Eccl. 5:10, NASB
“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Deut. 8:11-14, NASB
“Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deut. 8:17-18, NASB
“Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.'” Luke 12:15, NASB
“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” I Timothy 6:6-10, NASB
“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” I Timothy 6:17-19, NASB
Suggested Resources
Video: Why Has America Been Blessed by Reed and Liz Hewitt
Article: What is Biblical Stewardship by Liz Hewitt
Article: Money, Wealth, and the Book of Proverbs by Reed and Liz Hewitt
Book: Master Your Money written by Ron Blue and published by Moody Publishers in 1986/updated in 2016.
Book: Managing God’s Money written by Randy Alcorn and published by Tyndale House in 2011.
This page contains affiliate link(s) from ChristianBook.com. If you choose to make a purchase, your price will not be affected and we receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
