“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.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV

I once asked a hospice patient, How is your spirit? She immediately said, Content. I have a peace and contentment in my spirit. She went on to reflect that in the 80+ years of her life she’s had wealth and she’s had poverty, she’s known great joy and devastating heartache but she said, she has always been content to have cloths on her back and food on her table.

To come to the end of your life and look back over the years without regrets, remorse, or unresolved discontent is a blessing. The text seems to imply that this blessing of contentment is ours when we’re grateful for basic needs and realize that godliness is the only gain we will take with us into the afterlife.

The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NIV). We all must learn to be content by being intentional in our gratitude. Contentment is not a natural thing for us. It’s natural for us to covet bigger and better but not to be content. So let us be deliberate in living our life in contentment.