God gives us many good gifts, both physical and spiritual. Some are wired into us from birth, others come when we accept Christ. In fact, salvation itself is the ultimate gift. It is not something we earn or work for. It is freely given through grace, received simply by believing.
But not everything God wants us to have is a gift. Some things, like contentment, are not handed to us. They are learned.
In Philippians 4:11, Paul says, ‘I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances’. Notice what he says: learned to be content. He doesn’t say, ‘God gave me contentment’. He says it is something that grew in him, often through difficult seasons and challenging circumstances.
The same is true in our lives. Scripture tells us that there is a season for everything—joy and sorrow, growth and rest, beginnings and endings. For those of us working in schools, this truth often plays out in very real ways. Some terms feel full of energy and momentum. Others feel more like a grind—full of challenges, changes, or simply the weight of everything that needs to get done. But what are we doing in the midst of the season we are in? Are we embracing it or resisting it?
Over the years, I have learned three key things about contentment:
1. Contentment requires an eternal perspective.
To be content, we need to distinguish between the temporary and the eternal. Scripture repeatedly reminds us to lift our eyes from the things of this world and focus on what lasts forever. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘Don’t worry about what you will eat, drink, or wear... Your heavenly Father knows your needs. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you’. In other words, keep your focus on the eternal, and trust God with the rest. Remember COVID-19? At the time, it felt like a never-ending, overwhelming reality. And yet it passed. Like most challenges in life, it was hard, but it was also temporary. Contentment begins when we remind ourselves daily: this too shall pass.
“In other words, keep your focus on the eternal, and trust God with the rest.”
2. Contentment grows in a heart of gratitude.
Gratitude and contentment go hand-in-hand. Content people tend to be thankful, even for the small things. They focus on what they have, not what they lack. When we live with a posture of thanksgiving, we shift our mindset from scarcity to abundance. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, ‘Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’. Gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring hardship. It means choosing to see God’s goodness in the midst of it. Grateful people are often the ones who make lemonade out of lemons. Not because life is easy, but because they trust in the One who provides.
3. Contentment means accepting what we can’t change – while having the courage to act on what we can.
The well-known serenity prayer captures this beautifully: ‘Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference’. There is real wisdom in that. There are things in life we cannot fix – global conflict, broken systems, the actions of others. But there are also things we can influence – our attitudes, our habits, how we respond. Learning contentment means trusting God with both.
As we enter a new term, my encouragement to all of us is this: let’s be people who learn contentment. If you are in a tough season right now, please do not feel like you have to pretend it is easy. But do remember – it is temporary. It will pass!
Each day, find something to thank God for. Your job. Your health. Your family. The breath in your lungs. And let’s ask Him to give us the serenity, courage, and wisdom we need. Not just to get through this term, but to live well and lead others with grace.
Let us commit to learning contentment, together!
David Gillman — CEO Christian Schools Tasmania