Contentment Without Complacency
In this message, Pastor DaVon shares how you can be grateful for where you are without settling there. Being content doesn’t mean you stop growing—real contentment is learned even under pressure, not just comfort. When your heart is full of thanks and your trust is in God, you can have contentment right where you are and still chase after everything He’s prepared for your future—all at the same time.
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Notes
Where in your life have you settled and stopped reaching forward?
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Learn - to acquire knowledge; disciple
3 ways to learn: Instruction, Observation, Experience
As much as we want the Word to be our only teacher, we must admit that experience is also a teacher
You are not born content.
You don’t learn contentment through comfort
Anytime you're being trained, you will always have to go against the grain.
All training requires a rearrangement of your thinking.
I learned to be thankful for health when I was sick
I learned to be thankful for a job when I was unemployed
Contentment deals with trust and thanksgiving
If you’re not content, you are in a state of contention
When you are not content, you compare
You’re not happy so you’re always competing
When you compare, you are either inferior or superior
He who is not content with what he has, would not be content with what he would like to have.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
“Where in your life have you stopped pressing forward?”
“Where do you need to rise out of complacency?”
I believe that in our contentment we have gotten complacent
Contentment is not apathy toward God’s promises.
Complacency forgets that God has more
Be content in God’s goodness today, but never complacent about what He still wants to do.
John 10:10 AMPC
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 MSG
The Israelites were herders, shepherds, and cowboys. Eventually, they moved into agriculture. This is why we see a lot of examples in scripture regarding shepherds and agriculture.
Isaiah 11:2 TPT
the Spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him, the Spirit of Extraordinary Wisdom, the Spirit of Perfect Understanding, the Spirit of Wise Strategy, the Spirit of Mighty Power, the Spirit of Revelation, and the Spirit of the Fear of Yahweh.
Contentment should motivate you to trust God for more.