A weekly reflection from a member of the Hastings clergy

Written by Dr. Randy Berg, Pastor of Calvary Church of Hastings

A Word about Contentment

Can I talk to you for a moment about contentment? It seems like there are so many people who allow other people to determine whether they are happy or not.”If they like me I am up, if they don’t like me I am down.”Their mood changes like the tide depending on who they are listening to at the moment. Let me give you some spoilers of contentment. Number 1 is comparison. Whenever you compare your abilities, possessions or experiences with someone else the result is either pride or envy. Both are enemies of contentment. If you see yourself better than others then you will only feel good when you are on top. The problem is that the pressure to stay number 1 is not worth it. It is too hard to be the best, the skinniest, the richest, or the one who is most together all the time. On the other extreme, if you see everybody else as getting all the breaks, having all the things you wish you had, and experiencing a much better life than you have experienced, you begin to resent them for it. When you compare your situation to theirs then envy steals way the contentment you could have had. I love the verse in the Bible where Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content in whatever situation I find myself.” Have you tamed the comparison monster? You will know if you are able to be excited for someone else’s blessings and feel compassion for those who are having a tough time.

A second spoiler of contentment is tied to how you react to the opinion of others toward you. I decided long ago that I was responsible for my attitude and that I was not going to let anyone else determine how I feel about myself. Even though I want everybody to like me the fact is that there will be some who don’t. It means not allowing anyone’s opinion to dictate how I feel about my life, choices or anything about me. God has already told me in the Bible that He loves me just the way I am and if He is on my side then I have nothing to lose. I can be confident wherever I am and can empathize with others without having them drag me down. I choose to be a thermostat which determines the climate of my surroundings, rather than a thermometer which merely reflects it.

So what about you, are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Our world right now needs more people controlling the climate by being content because they are trusting God rather than allowing fear and uncertainty to be in control.

Dr Randy Berg is Pastor of Calvary Church in Hastings. Calvaryhastings.org