Just one more

The famous oil tycoon and billionaire John D. Rockefeller when asked how much money would be enough, reportedly answered, “Just one more dollar.” Such a response would not be out of step with our current culture of discontent, would it? Rockefeller did not say this because he was discontent; he said it because he, as a believer in the Jesus, knew that pursuing money and the things we think it buys would never be enough to satisfy. We are living in a day of lots of stuff…so much stuff that we need storage facilities to keep all that stuff, but are we satisfied with our stuff? Hardly, and most technology companies are banking on our discontent. When will iPhone 15 be available?! Paul, in Philippians 4:13, clues us in on the secret of having contentment in life no matter what our “stuff” circumstances may be. Believers in the Lord Jesus can always be content in life because we can, by His grace “do everything through Him (Christ Jesus) who gives me strength.” However, true contentment in Christ does not produce a “it’s just Jesus and me,” self-focused perspective. Because I am content in my Savior, I have a freedom to selflessly serve my spouse, my children, my church, my work, and my…whatever with devoted commitment. Knowing that all my wrongdoing is forgiven and that I have eternal life because of my faith in the sacrifice that Jesus made for my sin on the cross, brings an eternal contentment of soul even when my circumstance are not “enough.” Because all my deepest needs are met in Christ and He owns my heart, I can by His enabling grace and power, whole-heartedly give myself to others for His glory and their flourishing. Finding true contentment in Christ does not disconnect me from others because “I don’t need anybody else but Jesus now!” True contentment with Christ frees me to enjoy the deepest and truest companionship with others as I minister to them out of the abundance of the grace that, “He is all I need” supplies.

Dr. David Ley is the President of Alaska Bible College.