Taking Inventory

Becoming a Woman of Contentment, Part 2.

 This last year for our family has included some major moves, first halfway across the country, and nine months later, another one just across the state line. For the last move, we called two companies for quotes. A company sent a representative to walk through our house for the first quote. He carefully made a written inventory of every item needing to be moved. For the second, my husband gave his best recollection over the phone. The second mover’s price was half of the first mover’s quote! Do you see where this is going, yet?

My husband obviously chose the second quote. The company did ask for a solid inventory a few days before moving day to ensure a smoother process. My husband’s guesstimated number of boxes was about eighty, but when the full count was complete there were three hundred and fifty! My math is not great, but that is more than three times the original estimate. Unfortunately, that number did not get relayed to the people who had bid for the job, so three people and two large moving trucks were all that showed up on moving day. Many things did not fit, but it was too late to get rid of full boxes that had sat unopened for nine months in favor of things we would have liked to keep. Fortunately, we were able to bless some church friends with things like a much-loved smoker/grill, a riding lawnmower, and a couch, but some things had to be left at the curb for pickup. God used that lesson in my life to recognize that first, I have way too many things. He also drove home the wisdom of prioritizing what is important before it’s too late.

From a spiritual perspective, every person born is in the process of moving toward the eternal. We are each prioritizing what goes on the “truck” for moving day, which happens to be the day we die. “But wait,” you might ask. “We are not taking anything with us when we die, right?”

You would be correct. No one has ever attached a U-Haul to their hearse to transport toys to the afterlife, though Pharaohs of the past have certainly tried. Treasure seekers plundered those hidden riches that did the dead no good.  We are not taking any physical thing with us, not money, not cars, not clothing, not houses, not even a prestigious title will go with us to heaven.

The Bible is very clear about eternity. Heaven is for those souls who believe on Jesus.

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

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            Every soul moves into the eternal. As the rich man found out in Luke 16, though, a choice must be made before death comes.

Luke 16:22-23 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

            God is so gracious to provide every person a way to live with Him in heaven eternally. His love is so great, He took the wrath our sin deserved, and poured it out on Jesus, His only Son. Now, God offers us life eternal by simply believing on Jesus and receiving His gift of salvation.  When we take inventory, salvation is our most valuable possession, for it is eternal. And with salvation comes everything else we need.

When we take inventory, salvation is our most valuable possession, for it is eternal.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

If I am going to continue with the moving truck illustration, however, it might be important to note that God does not want the Christian to just throw salvation in the back of the truck with the rest of the stuff. He wants permission to drive the truck. If we give Him the keys, He will use our truck more like an ambulance, making our inventory not things, but people on their way to eternity with us.

Jesus made this clear to the rich, young ruler in Luke 18:18-27. When Jesus asked him to sell all he had and come follow Him, the young man went away sorrowful. He wanted Jesus and his stuff.

If you are reading this study, chances are it is because you have already chosen to lay everything aside to follow Jesus. Your desire to become a woman of contentment means that you have already given some thought to eternity, to the priorities of this life, and to the day you will see the One who loved you and gave Himself for you, face to face. You have already started your “inventory list” for moving day, my friend, and for that, I commend you.

Let’s define a few terms as we continue this study.

What exactly is contentment?

The 1828 dictionary defines it as: CONTENTMENT, noun.  Content; a resting or satisfaction of mind without disquiet; acquiescence.

The Bible says that godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6. It is certainly something God wants His people to have.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon gives a bit more depth for the Greek word for our English translation of contentment. “αὐτάρκεια, a perfect condition of life…in which no aid or support is needed; a sufficiency of the necessaries of life: subjectively, a mind contented with its lot.

2 Corinthians 9:8 is the only other place where this specific word is used again but is translated as “sufficiency”.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (italics added for emphasis).

(I would just like a quick pause here to note what contentment is not. It is not a passive acceptance of harm or abuse.  David did not stay in Saul’s presence to be speared through with a javelin, nor did Paul welcome a beating when he could avoid it. Abuse needs to be reported to the proper authorities.)

What then would define discontent? DISCONTENT, noun [dis and content.] Want of content; uneasiness or inquietude of mind; dissatisfaction at any present state of things.

The Bible uses the precise word of discontented only once. In 1 Samuel 22:2, it describes the kind of people that followed David when he was running from Saul. However, when I looked up the Hebrew Word on Bible Hub, I discovered that this word is used many times. It is the word, “Marah,” which is another word for bitter. (Genesis, 27:34, Exodus 15:23-24, Ruth 1:20-21) Each of these references sheds light on the definition of discontent.

In Genesis 27:1-42, Esau has his blessing stolen by his brother Jacob. Never mind that he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of food some time back because the promises of God were not that important to him. The bitterness in his heart toward Jacob quickly moved to murderous thoughts of revenge.

Exodus 15:23-27 describes the water the Israelites needed in the wilderness as too bitter to drink. The place was named Marah for its bitter remembrance, even though God made it sweet so they could drink it.

In the book of Ruth, Naomi’s family fled to Moab in a famine where her husband and two sons died. When she and her daughter in law, Ruth, returned to Israel, Naomi told the people to call her Mara because she believed the Lord had dealt very bitterly with her.

Elisabeth Elliot defined suffering as “Having what you don’t want, or wanting what you don’t have.” Suffering then could easily slip into discontent (marah), as Esau, the children of Israel, and Naomi each discovered. Discontent could be described as suffering gone sour because instead of turning to God, the discontented one turns away from God.

But there is a caution to viewing the things we don’t have and want, or the things we want and don’t have, as suffering, because we may see them in a better light than God does.

When James 4:4 describes saved church attenders filled with envy and strife as adulterers and adultresses, he is using strong language meant to show them where their hearts are.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James identifies the root problem of trying to fulfill their needs without God’s blessing as a form of adultery. Their love that should have turned toward God to meet their needs was misplaced toward the blessing rather than the Blessor.

 Hebrews 13:5-6 spells out why the believer can be content. What has God promised?

If we could pack our “moving truck” with all we wanted that we don’t have, would it be worth it if God’s presence was not there?

If we could throw off all we didn’t want, would we do it at the expense of God’s presence?

Esau thought life would be fine without God. Hebrews 12:17 implies that he never made it back. Neither did his children.

The children of Israel nearly lost the presence of God in their journey through the wilderness. Moses begged God not to leave them, so His presence remained. God eventually led their children into the Promised Land.

Naomi returned to the land where God dwelt and it changed her life, and many others forever. (Her daughter in law Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus. Matthew 1:5)

Is there something you want in your life that you do not have?

Is there something in your life you wish you did not have?

How does the presence of God help you look at it with contentment?

Does the idea that God is using this struggle to make you more like Jesus change the way you look at it? (Romans 8:28-29)

James 4:4 recalled to my mind another instance in the Bible where discontent led to a bitter outcome. Numbers 16 describes a mutiny of sorts against Moses. Korah, a nephew of Moses, rose up with some friends who believed they too should have more of a leadership role within the Israelites’ wilderness journey. When they accused Moses of making himself a leader over them, Moses fell on his face before God, and then asked Korah and the others in verses 9-10,

Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

Even though Korah had a privileged position of service, he wanted more. The reason this came to mind is because the church can be a hotbed for discontentment, murmuring, and a quest for status, just as James addressed. I know it has in my life.

Why does that sister get a solo all the time?

Does anyone even know that I teach 2-year-olds every week?

Why are their children invited and mine are not?

Why does God allow her to get married and I am still single.

God has given her three children and I still have not gotten pregnant. There is no way I could sit through her baby shower.

But God knows what will lead each one of us to be more like Jesus. While that sister may get the solos, God knows that sometimes she views that as a frustration, not a blessing. In submitting to that service, she is becoming more like Jesus.

That two-year-old class may teach that sister more about loving Jesus than a more well-known ministry. God knows what He is doing.

God may be using the gift of singleness to sanctify that sister in Christ, while He is using a difficult marriage to sanctify the married woman. God does all things well.

Life is not fair. It’s so unfair that the most loving, giving, sinless Lamb of God was beaten, mocked, and hung on a tree so we could have a relationship with the God of the universe. That is most definitely not fair.

When we take inventory, the presence of Jesus in our life all the way to eternity changes everything about becoming women of contentment.  Hebrews 13:5-6 can be our meditation this week as we turn into God’s presence for our every need. He. Is. Enough.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

I have put a pdf of my document below if you would like to print it. The links will have to be looked up through the blog post, however.

Please let me know any comments, questions or suggestions that come to mind! Have a blessed week, my friends. And if you are looking for me, I will be cleaning out my basement! 🤪