I have been pondering the concept of contentment lately. I’ve come to realize that my inner peace and contentment with my faith helped me cope with the loss of my mother. I find comfort in knowing where she is now, and I have faith that I will see her again someday.

The question that frequently arises in my mind is why contentment is so elusive among Christians.

I believe that contentment cannot be defined by external factors, such as material possessions or location. Rather, it is a state of mind that comes from understanding and accepting God’s plan for your life. It requires having the conviction to live accordingly and embracing the peace that He offers. Contentment is an attitude that we cultivate within ourselves.

It’s common for us to become overwhelmed by the everyday aspects of our lives, such as making a living and taking care of our loved ones. As a result, we can easily lose sight of the fact that our true calling is to serve God in all that we do. Christians often fall into the trap of discontentment by pursuing worldly goals such as the desire for more, bigger, and better things. The Bible characterizes such pursuits as indulgences, greed, and pride. When we experienced our rebirth and accepted Christ as our Savior, we felt peaceful and were willing to commit everything to God. However, over time, we begin to entertain the “what if” question, which distracts us from our faith and leads us back to our old ways of seeking more. To make matters worse, we may justify our actions by convincing ourselves that we are “serving the Lord,” even though we are disobeying His plan and His will.

Money is undoubtedly essential in our lives, and it always has been. However, we need to understand that God intends it to be a tool to accomplish His plan through us. This doesn’t mean that we need to give up all our possessions, but we must be willing to do so. To attain contentment, we must practice personal discipline and stay within God’s established lifestyle parameters. “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15 | ESV). We cannot serve both God and money, for “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Luke 16:13 | ESV).

If you’re seeking contentment, these are the strategies I use to attain and sustain contentment, and I’m confident they’ll work for you as well. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to achieve lasting contentment – give these techniques a try today.

1) “Live within your means” means that you should spend money only on what you can afford. Your lifestyle should be based on your beliefs and values rather than your financial situation.

2) Provide for others not just by tithing but also through offerings, gifts, and personal involvement.

3) Don’t compare yourself to others. Be thankful for what you have and who you are.

4) “Remember to seek God’s will by following the teachings of Christ Jesus. The passage from Philippians 3:8 in the ESV version of the Bible reminds us that everything else pales in comparison to the value of knowing Christ. We should be willing to let go of worldly possessions and desires in order to gain a deeper understanding of Him.”

5) Trust in God. His peace, which goes beyond human understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 | ESV)

Contentment is not something that can be found, but rather an attitude of the heart. Once you develop this attitude and surrender everything to God, you will feel content.

Christianity, which is based on the teachings of Jesus, is considered a religion. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, religion is “a system of beliefs, attitudes, and practices”. However, this definition may seem a little impersonal. Many Christians describe their experience with religion as a life-giving, inspiring, and encouraging way of life. Unfortunately, some people’s understanding of Christianity and Jesus is more in line with the dictionary definition, meaning it can be systematic, repetitive, and monotonous. If you’re honest with yourself, you may feel this way about God, faith, and church.

Religion often centers on the idea that we must perform specific actions to win God’s approval. It leads us to believe that God wants us to do more good things and fewer bad things. This thinking can cause us to start bargaining with God, trading our “good behavior” for things we desire from Him. For instance, we might say, “If you help me get this job, I’ll start going to church again,” or “If I get an A on this exam, I’ll read my Bible more.” This transactional approach makes our relationship with God feel like a game as if we are giving God what we think He wants in return for what we want. However, we know deep down that relationships don’t work that way.

Building meaningful relationships is not about what others can do for us but about spending time together and getting to know each other better. Such relationships provide a support system that celebrates our successes and comforts us during difficult times. It is like having a safety net always there to help us when we need it the most.

It is possible to have a meaningful relationship with God. However, following empty and meaningless rituals can harm your relationship with Him. Here are two signs that you may have fallen into the trap of playing the religious game:

You’re doing things out of duty 

“If the habits designed to bring you closer to God feel like a checklist to get through, then you might be operating out of a sense of duty. You might feel obligated to check the box, complete the task, and then go about your business as usual throughout the day. This is why many people grow bored with religion.  What could be an enriching and fulfilling experience with God is reduced to a lifeless routine. It is not a reciprocal relationship; rather, it feels more like a job: you show up, clock in, and pay your dues, not because you want to, but because you feel like you have to.”

Romans 5:8 challenges the belief that we must earn God’s love by doing good things. It says, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Galatians 2:21 adds that if keeping the law could make us right with God, then Christ would not need to die. God loves us unconditionally and wants us to experience the love and freedom He is eager to give us. We don’t have to follow empty, monotonous routines or do the right things to earn His love.

To overcome feelings of obligation, the key is gratitude. By developing an appreciation for the nature of God and spending time in prayer and reading the Bible, you will find that your desire to learn about God will grow. Consider starting with this Bible Reading Plan, which focuses on five attributes of God that will fill you with gratitude.

You feel like you’re messing it up 

“I started going back to church, but my marriage hasn’t changed.” 

“I got baptized, so why am I still struggling?” 

“I prayed and prayed and prayed, and nothing happened.” 

“What am I doing wrong?” 

If you regularly attend church, pray, or read the Bible, hoping to receive something in return, your motivation may be misplaced. This behavior is often driven by a fear that mistakes could jeopardize your chances of receiving what you want from God.

Religion may hinder us from developing a genuine relationship with God. It can turn our interactions with God into a transactional exchange. It can make us believe that every negative experience we encounter is a punishment from God for not meeting specific standards of goodness.

In Matthew 11:30, Jesus reminds us that our lives will not be without struggles. He invites us to follow him, saying, “My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Jesus is not saying that all your problems will disappear when you come to him, but rather, he promises to be with you no matter what you face.

It’s important to remember that the difficulties you face don’t necessarily mean you are falling out of favor with God. Often, these challenges are just a natural result of living in an imperfect world. Fortunately, there is some good news: Jesus offers us a sense of peace even amid our struggles. As he reassures us in John 16:33, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

When we trust in Jesus, we don’t need to panic whenever things go wrong. Instead, we can trust that God is with us through every situation and that His wisdom is available through the Bible.

God’s love is always present and accessible to us. We don’t have to do anything to earn or maintain it; we can do nothing to lose it. We don’t need to go through the motions or keep a tally of our right and wrong actions. God desires a relationship with us based on love and freedom rather than fear and obligation.