Why Are People Not Content?

1. Read: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

2. About the Text:

1) When I say “People” I mean everyone and myself.

2) Not too many here are content with just food and clothing like Paul writes about.

3) Most of us have much more than these few things.

4) So, why are we not content as God tells us to be?

5) Paul says that he “learned” to be content (Philippians 4:11).

6) Let’s do some learning about how to be content.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. We want . . .

1) All the stuff.

2) All the accomplishments.

3) All the feels.

4) All the relationships.

2. This is unrealistic.

1) That which is not real can never be obtained.

2) We will beat our head against the wall trying to get it.

3) This does not produce the desired result, but the opposite.

3. Who owns everything?

1) “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).

2) “Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:21-22).

4. Stop wanting it all.

1. Like a child with a new toy; he loves it for five minutes and then wants something new.

2. Many adults are no different.

3. Riches – “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

4. Food – “All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied” (Ecclesiastes 6:7).

5. “The leech has two daughters—Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water—And the fire never says, ‘Enough!’” (Proverbs 30:15-16).

6. The Parable of the Rich Fool – Luke 12:13-21.

7. Carnal desires will never give us contentment because there is always something else.

1. Envy is desiring what other people have by comparison to yourself.

1) Keeping up with the Jones’ (neighbors next door).

2) Sometimes we call it jealousy.

3) We want what they have because they have it and we don’t.

4) Envy will drive us to hatred, anger, and malice toward others.

2. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day” (Proverbs 23:17).

3. “Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them” (Proverbs 24:1).

4. “For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy” (Mark 15:10).

5. “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:26).

6. Envy will never let us be content because there is always someone “better” than us.

1. Loneliness drives a lot of discontentment.

1) When people are lonely, they seek out other people and things.

2) This can lead to fornication, adultery, and other sins.

3) It can also fuel the “party” mentality.

4) Married people need to learn to “love the one you are with.”

5) Unmarried need to trust God to provide and take comfort in family.

2. We need to focus on Who we have – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

4. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

1. Discontentment results from not trusting God’s word.

1) We think we know better how to live our lives.

2) Proverbs 3:5-6

3) Romans 10:17

2. A lot of discontentment is me not wanting to wait for God to provide.

1) We get in a hurry to do things and we are not patient.

2) We don’t think God understands what we are going through.

3) We move to resolve our own problems in our own way.

4) This is a mistake.

5) Jeremiah 10:23

3. God’s agenda is not our agenda.

1) He is working toward our eternal salvation.

2) “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

1. If a person does not love himself as God loves him, he will not be content.

1) Self-hatred manifests in many ways.

a. Will not work.

b. Overeats/gets drunk/does drugs.

c. Acts in self destructive ways.

d. Constantly victimizes self/sees self as a victim.

2) This person will never be satisfied with anything because he is not satisfied with himself.

2. We must love ourselves as God loves us.

1) This begins by putting our identity in Christ – Galatians 2:20, 3:27.

2) Matthew 22:39 – “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

3) God is the standard of love – “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

4) Phil.4:4

1. Trying to stave off death is a great way to be dissatisfied.

1) I’m not talking about committing suicide.

2) Rebelling against the aging process.

3) Not taking death seriously.

2. The medical industry can be a bottomless pit for money, time, and energy.

1) Some have legitimate medical needs, yes.

2) Others pursue elective surgeries for cosmetics and other attention seeking reasons.

3. God tells us the truth about aging and death.

1) “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

2) “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).

3) “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

1. Why Are People Not Content?

1) They Want It All

2) Their Desires Have No End

3) They Envy Others

4) They Believe They Are Alone

5) They Don’t Trust in God

6) They Have a Bad Attitude Toward Self

7) They Don’t Ever Want to Die

2. Invitation