How to find true contentment this Christmas
As Christmas quickly approaches, are you experiencing contentment in your heart? If not, what would it take for you to become content?
Many people assume that material things can bring them contentment, but that is simply not the case. Pastor Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) wisely stated, “Real contentment must come from within. You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us.”
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-12).
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The Scottish evangelist Henry Drummond (1851-1897) said, “Will power does not change men. Time does not change men. Christ does.” The Prince of Peace can perform this miracle for you. And the change will not only transform your perspective here and now, but God will also transport you to Paradise after you take your final breath on Earth.
This world cannot meet the deepest needs of your soul. Are you still chasing that elusive dream, while ignoring your Creator and the gift He placed for you under the Christmas tree of the cross? The only way to unwrap the gift is to place your faith in the One who was sacrificed for your sins. Once you are converted, you suddenly find yourself referring to Jesus as “my Savior.” A personal relationship with Christ makes all the difference in the world.
William Law (1686-1761) was a Church of England priest who said, “From morning to night keep Jesus in thy heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing but to have all that is within thee changed into the spirit and temper of the holy Jesus.” The prophet Isaiah ascribed these names to the coming Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). C. S. Lewis said, “Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.”
Are you lusting after wealth and material possessions? If so, heed the words of King Solomon: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). The Scottish evangelist Duncan Campbell (1898-1972) said, “There is a growing conviction everywhere, and especially among thoughtful people, that unless revival comes, other forces will take the field, that will sink us still deeper into the mire of humanism and materialism.”
Perhaps you feel like you are sinking deeper into the mire of materialism, social media madness, and deceptive philosophies. Here is some great news in the midst of a confusing world that is spiraling downward: Your soul can actually be reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:6). Jesus told Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council: “You must be born again” (John 3:7). It is the only way to enter God’s family and to have your sins forgiven.
The moment you are saved, redeemed, forgiven, born again and justified, your body literally becomes “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). And you begin to see things much differently than you did prior to your spiritual conversion. You are more than just a physical body. The real you will exist forever. You are at your core an immortal soul, whether you realize it or not, and only God can satisfy the needs of your soul. Saint Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD) said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
Pastor David Jeremiah said, “All the Christmas presents in the world are nothing without the presence of Christ.”
Are you trusting in Christ alone for salvation and peace, or instead, seeking contentment in something or someone other than the Savior who willingly and lovingly suffered crucifixion on a cross to pay for your sins? If you receive Jesus into your heart through faith, (John 1:12) you will experience true and lasting satisfaction. Otherwise, you will miss out on the greatest gift ever given.
Author Ann Voskamp said, “So God throws open the door of this world — and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.”
Nevertheless, God will not force Himself upon you, especially if you are determined to pursue your personal agenda rather than to believe in the One you were created to love, serve and obey. Who, or what, will you worship this Christmas? Your decision will have a tremendous impact upon your level of contentment.
After all, you were created to live in close fellowship with your Creator. So, will you accept the forgiveness of your sins and true contentment as a free gift from God this Christmas? Believe it, receive it, and unwrap this glorious gift by faith.
What could be worse than living your entire life and eventually going to your grave and your eternal destination without ever opening God’s gift that had your name on it? How tragic, and yet many people die everyday without having unwrapped the greatest gift ever given.
One final thought. Pastor Charles Spurgeon said, “And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: good will towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without good will towards men.” As Pastor Rick Warren put it: “Peace with God, peace with others, peace in your own heart."
Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.
