“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6, NKJV

Last month, the theme in our children’s ministry was “Hunting for Contentment.” The last week featured a little skit in which all the characters were “hunting” for different things (popularity, physical achievement, having “stuff,” academic excellence, etc). It ended with everyone felling frustrated and disillusioned, except for the one character who was already content in knowing Jesus.

Life is full of pursuits and our hearts and minds can feel restless sometimes. I wish I could lose that extra ten pounds. Life will be so much easier when the kids are out of this stage. If I could get a better job or a promotion, money wouldn’t be so tight and we could relax a little. Sometimes, these thoughts creep up and we don’t even realize the enemy is taking aim at our faith. If we continue to entertain these thoughts, we run the risk of doubting God’s goodness and trustworthiness.

This month, write about the various ways that you hunt for contentment. Be honest.
– Which pursuits are life-giving and what ends up disappointing you?
– How aware are you of things that stir up discontent in your heart?
– How can we change our perspective about contentment?
– How have you intentionally cultivated contentment in your life?

“…for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content…” Philippians 4:11, NKJV