Godliness with Contentment – Cultivating Grateful Hearts
November 2, 2008
by Beverly Mueffelmann
Just as we teach our children to trust in the faithful character of God, we must also teach them to be grateful for the faithfulness of God in their lives. When answers to prayer become evident, we can lead our children to thank God for His provision of their needs whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Throughout Scripture, God’s people are exhorted to give thanks. I Thessalonians 5:18 summarizes it this way: “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (emphasis mine).” When we question how to do God’s will in our lives, do we ever consider gratitude His will for us? Why is it His will for us to give thanks in all circumstances?
Gratitude leads to contentment and contentment leads to peace. When I am grateful for the abundance of what I already have, I experience contentment and peace instead of anxiety. What good is godliness if it is fraught with anxiety over what to eat, what to drink, or what to wear? “For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:31-34)
I Timothy 6:6-9 continues this thought: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
In these financially uncertain times, concerns about tomorrow can become overwhelming. It is critical to remember Who is ultimately providing for all of our needs and to set the example of trust in the Lord for our children. Cultivating grateful hearts starts with our own sense of gratitude before the Lord. Are we remembering His blessings and verbally thanking Him for them in our children’s hearing? Are we encouraging them to be truly grateful for what they have by educating them about the condition of other children around the world? We can also cultivate gratefulness by giving our children an avenue through which to give to those who are less fortunate, either by volunteering as a family at a local outreach or by sponsoring a child through a charitable organization.
Whichever way we choose, teaching our children to be truly thankful for both the blessings and challenges in their lives will set them on course for fulfilling God’s will for their lives. For godliness with contentment is great gain and we give our children a precious gift when we guide them into the way of peace.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6, 7)
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