The disease of discontentment is an epidemic in our culture today. The disease of discontentment is simply desiring more than what we have.
The disease of discontentment can cause a person to walk into their garage and look at their car which is less than two years old and think they need to trade their car in for a new one.
It can cause of person to walk into a closet full of clothes and think to themselves, “I have nothing to wear”.
It can cause a person to look at their friend’s big screen TV and think they need one too.
The effects of the disease of discontentment.
The disease of discontentment is the cause of many divorces.
It is the cause of much of the financial debt that people are in.
It causes many to think no matter how much money they are making they deserve and need to be making more.
The disease of discontentment will rob you of your joy!
If so much of your life is spent on craving more, being discontent, you will miss out on so much of the good.
More will not satisfy us.
Perhaps today you are convinced that if you had just a little more THEN you would be content. Let me assure you that if that is your way of thinking, then it is wrong.
There will always be something else you want or feel that you need.
One day the thing you thought you wanted so badly and you thought would make you content will be old news and out dated, and there will be something else you want.
More will not bring us contentment.
More is not always the best answer.
Marilyn Monroe was one of the biggest stars there has ever been. She was envied by women and desired by men. She had looks, money, and fame, but Marilyn Monroe died all alone by her own hand.
If she had one more movie or magazine cover, or one more relationship would it have been enough to satisfy her emptiness?
Sadly, probably not because she suffered from the disease of discontentment.
How do we live with contentment?
Over the next three posts I want to share 3 ways that we can learn to live with contentment.
1. Resist comparisons.
2. Know that contentment comes from within.
3. Count your blessings.
How have you struggled with the disease of discontentment?
Beautiful post! The disease of discontentment comes from a feeling of emptiness inside and the addiction of trying to find people, situations, new objects to fill up this gap. The truth is that we have everything inside us to live in a prosperous way, forgiveness and being grateful for what we have vs what we do not have are a good way to start filling our hearts with love, peace and joy.
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We do try in futility to fill our emptiness with things but they will never bring true satisfaction and contentment. I believe that emptiness that we all have can only be truly filled by a relationship with God. God is the one that can bring us true contentment!
Thanks for sharing Patricia!
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Great post- looking forward to the next 3!
I agree that discontent is a disease infecting our society. Recently I wrote about indifference being like Gangrene. I think God is trying to tell us something!
If you have time please check out my post on indifference-
http://tcavey.blogspot.com/2012/03/smell-of-indifference.html
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Thanks for sharing TC!
I also really enjoyed your post. I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.
Kevin Martineau recently posted…Live with contentment by resisting comparisons
Thanks, I appreciate it!
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Hi Kevin! Discontentment is not a good feeling for everyone…But I really like your post here intended for people to get motivated and be inspired…
Thanks for sharing AnaLou!
Kevin Martineau recently posted…My God turns darkness into light
Kevin, I just heard a message this weekend from Philippians 4 about Paul’s secret: learning to be content in every situation: both with plenty and with little, through the power of Christ, who strengthens us to be able to count our blessings in every situation. This post is a great reinforces this truth.
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Ultimately, true contentment is only going to come through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can fill the emptiness that we feel in life.
Thanks for sharing Steve!
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Hi Kevin,
I agree with your post. Sadly, it happens in the real world. Even if there are people who have everything they could ever ask for in life, they still want for more and are not content with every little thing they have. Realizing what makes us happy for what we already have and striving to work hard to achieve for what we haven’t got yet at present is what we should be doing at the moment.
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You are absolutely right Felicia. If we base our happiness on getting more then we will never be happy. We must learn to be content and grateful for what we have.
Thanks for sharing!
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I think this disease of discontentment comes from a series of lies we are told or fed on a regular basis through the constant bombardment of advertising and media to the point now where it’s accepted as “just the way it is”. That’s the environment we are brought up in, surrounded by and it’s what is celebrated. It will take a massive shift to undo these false beliefs which are doing so much harm.
Great points Hans! All we can do is begin with ourselves.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Kevin Martineau recently posted…My God turns darkness into light
You are so right! I think most of people have the disease of discontentment, more or less, including me of course. Sometimes we just let the greedy or vanity confused us and cannot realize what the true happiness is.
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We definitely all suffer with the disease of contentment in one way or another.
Thanks for sharing Gerado!
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Hi Kev I agree what you post in here that about decease. thanks for sharing this I appreciate it I’ve learned something new..
I am glad that you learned something from this post Fatima.
Kevin Martineau recently posted…God is closer than you think
Yes, that’s right kevs it was really nice to know about this..
This is a great post with a simple message, Kevin. I have heard so often phrases like “Bigger’s always better” and “More is not enough” that it just makes my heart hurt a bit.
I don’t particularly see much wrong with wanting things, but I do think that being on a perpetual marketing hamster wheel is a soul stealing kind of life. I like simplicity in my life and I enjoy the things I have. I suspect that many people don’t feel that way and I hope your post can help them feel a bit better about who they are inside.
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Simplicity is such an important way to live. Even what we call simple is still lavish to many around our world.
Thanks for sharing Michael!
Kevin Martineau recently posted…Contentment comes from within
Hello Kevin
Is not discontent a spiritual disease caused by disobedience? Did not God say this about his creation including Man and Woman: “God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” Then discontent was born with the response to this question, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” No amount of outside things will heal this disease. We all have this disease. Instead of being concerned what other have let the healing being in our hearts. Thanks for writing about this subject.
Thanks
Perry A Davis Jr
Music City
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Excellent insight Perry! Discontentment is definitely caused by disobedience.
Thanks for sharing!
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Hey Kevin,
Great insights you gave here. We live in such a consumerist society these days, where we do not know how much is enough. We are always hungry for more than what we have because we see others possessing it and we also believe that we would be happy if we have that. And that’s how we keep postponing our happiness as we are never content.
I would come back to read your other posts on learning to be content, and therefore being happy today, right at this moment.
Thanks for adding to the discussion by sharing your thoughts Sarah!
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I was raised in low-low-income family. Then, during and after my first married, I struggled for basic financial needs [rent, utilities,food and clothing for me and my kids, car gas/bus fare]. It was God Who blessedly provided in miraculous and kind ways. Since marrying my dear husband 26 years ago, life changed for me. One of the hugest blessings: being missionaries in Uganda and sponsoring and supporting others over there and here. NOW, things changed significantly 3-1/2 years ago when Dave’s main job as a defense contractor at Offutt AFB suddenly died. He had no regular work for 1-1/2 years and we were in deep financial trouble. He is now our church facilitator — does almost everything and anything, a Jack of all trades — and piano teacher and computer fixer. He is happier than ever; the regular income net is at least 35% less. YET, we are both content. Again, God has provided for us. I used to purchase nice clothes, for both of us, not necessarily hitting the sales. Now, I’m about as content when I can go to a thrift shop and find something that makes me smile.
Yes, culturally, world-wide, what you said is true. We really have to focus on not letting discontentment interfere or intervene with God’s direction for us. Ain’t so easy sometimes.
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Sometimes we don’t realize how much we have until we don’t have it any more. We can take so many things for granted and easily forget how blessed we are.
I have to be reminded often so that I don’t fall prey to the disease of discontentment.
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