(Pastor James Scarborough, Donalsonville Assembly of God)

When I was growing up, breakfast cereal and corn flakes were nearly synonymous terms—at least in our house. Not so anymore. A visit to any modern grocery store will have available an assortment of cereals that is almost mind boggling! The choices seem endless.

As we were getting ready for church a few Sundays ago, I was asked to make some choices for two of the most important women in my life: my wife and my granddaughter. They are both capable of making their own decisions, but they wanted my input.

The easy choice had to do with breakfast, as Gale inquired if I wanted Cheerios or Frosted Flakes. I was pretty safe on that one, but from there it became more serious; the next choices had to do with hairstyles and shoes. Dangerous territory for any man!

Although not yet seven years old, Mallory is quickly catching on to girl things! She came to my desk asking me to decide which pair of shoes she should wear to Sunday school. With a different style of shoe on each foot, she wanted to know which one went best with her outfit. Trying to take the win-win route, I told her that they both looked fine, and either one would work equally well. Good try on my part, but not acceptable, thus her response: “Papa, you have to pick one!”

I quickly made my decision. Mallory agreed that my selection was the best shoes for her to wear too. So that means I am still a wise man with good taste in her view of things!

Included in the choices that we make in life, that of choosing the source of our personal contentment is an eternally important one. There is no doubt that we live in a society that seeks to find contentment in gaining more: more money, more things, more power, more control. Yet the contentment that is really lasting is not found in what we can see, hold and control. It is most advantageous to us that the Bible is not silent on the issue of contentment. Consider this example: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6, NIV).

Preacher and author, Chuck Swindoll, in offering his thoughts on Godly contentment, includes these two statements: “Contentment is something we must learn.” “Contentment never comes from externals.”

Certainly living with Godly contentment is best realized by choosing to value the things that God values rather than allowing the greedy world system to impose upon us its deceptive value system. If we choose ungodliness, we will be endlessly searching for more things to bring contentment to life. We would do well to remember these words: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (I Timothy 6:7). Thankfully, if we choose God’s direction for life, we can cease from searching and rest as we trust Him. His Word reminds us to “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).