“Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverbs 27:20
Ever noticed that whatever you want in any given moment has the potential to become amplified as your greatest singular need?
- Extreme thirst (even food won’t satisfy)
- Real hunger (even water won’t quench)
- Or maybe it’s a “must have” relationship, an expensive purchase, or a new and shiny __________?
When you want something badly enough, you begin to think and convince yourself that if you got that one thing, your life would be SO perfect. Why? Because that one thing captivates and consumes you—your thoughts, and eventually, your decisions.
But once you get it… there’s always the next thing that comes to mind, captivating your thoughts and attention all over again. And the cycle repeats itself.
The Fixation on Discontentment
This fixation on discontentment is very real for our children too—just amplified even more.
This is where fits and tantrums often come into play. Kids know what they want in the moment, and getting it becomes everything to them, at any cost, including any behavior necessary.
Think of a time recently when your child got a desire for something they just “had to have,” and they couldn’t seem to stop talking about it, asking for it, or reminding you of it. (It might have been as simple as that must-have snack 🙂 )
Sometimes we struggle with this just like our children do. (Am I the only one who had 32 items I wanted to purchase from Amazon on Black Friday but ended up only buying two?)
The Requirement of Contentment
Contentment requires that we learn to say no to some things, no matter how much we want them. But this is hard. Impulsiveness and delayed gratification are at odds like siblings that just won’t get along.
Failure to learn contentment is costly—not just with money, but in all areas of life. If our children don’t learn this early, they’ll suffer its consequences for the rest of their lives:
- Impulse buying will control them
- Poverty will follow them, no matter how much they acquire
- Feelings of entitlement to have what they want—and justification for getting it—will keep them in a never-ending cycle of debt and discontentment
- And sadly, their habits and patterns will be passed on to your grandchildren
Consider some Scriptures that address this:
- Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”
- Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
- Luke 12:15 “Beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
The Solution: Jesus is enough.
The world says enough is never enough. The foundation of Christianity is that Jesus IS enough. Teaching this to our kids is vital.
- Hebrews 13:5 “Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Why are we so driven by discontentment? The simple answer: we’re not content with Jesus being enough. We’re trying to find our happiness in something rather than Someone.
Contentment can be multi-generational when taught and reinforced at a young age. Teaching our kids to find their satisfaction and completion in Christ while they’re young is essential to a lifetime of spiritual success.
How could you set the example, or start a conversation, with your kids about contentment this week?
Which of these contentment quotes resonates the most with you?
- “Contentment is the realization of how much I already have.” -Dave Grant
- “Happiness comes after contentment.” -E.A. Cabaltica
- “Contentment is the art of finding joy in simplicity.” -Anonymous
