CONTENDED CONTENTMENT

When looking at these two words, Contend and Content, I noticed that they share all the same letters in the same order except for the last one. 

My eyes also noticed they both have two syllables. Con-tend and Con-tent.

“Con” usually means “with.” So, both words come with something. The word “tend” refers to activity, work, as in tending sheep or tending a garden. When one tends, there is usually an opponent that you are keeping at bay. The shepherd must fight the enemies of the sheep, the gardener must fight the enemies of the crop or harvest.

Using this logic “con-tend” would indicate with a fight. Hence a contender is a fighter. The other word, “con-tent”, seeing a tent as a place of rest or peace. When I put both words together, I see that there is a fight to have peace.

Otherwise stated, Contended Contentment.

If we can understand contentment, then perhaps we can understand why the fight.

Contentment is simply a place of peace. A place where you say “I’m good”, “All is well”. “I am satisfied”.

You are not settling, nor are you giving up, quite the contrary you have fought for the place you are at, and now that you are there, you are good. You are content. Contentment comes when we know that we gave life or that situation our all.

We were not slack we gave it our best shot. So now we’re good with where we are. We could not have done anymore. We fought, we were diligent and vigilant, and this is where we are right now. We will be satisfied, knowing we did our best.

Contentment only deals with the present moment, the now, not the future, nor the past. Neither the past nor the future can we do anything about. 

In this present moment I have done all I could do. I am content.

All we can do is Fight the good fight of Faith, knowing sometimes the fight is in our own mind.   After doing that, then we can be content. In today’s world it is so easy to look at someone else and say why am I not there.

You have worked hard to get where you are, be satisfied with YOUR harvest. We cannot have what belongs to someone else, nor should we want it. You know how hard you worked, how much you sacrificed to get where you are. Contentment says, I have done everything to the best of my present ability.

Places of contentment, places where we can rest, are vital to the lifelong marathon we are running. Catch your breath, drink some water. Be content in this part.

Again, we are not settling, we are resting in what we have worked for thus far. A situation should not dictate our state of mind. Our level of effort is what brings true contentment.  I tried my hardest, so that was my best effort, today!

My Faith Manual speaks of a disciple of Jesus who had been brutally beaten many times, imprisoned frequently, threatened regularly, ostracized often, shipwrecked, forgotten, isolated, and yet he could still say I am content. Listen to his words, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want”

Paul’s secret was to do his best and trust/believe that God would work out the rest. Now that the secret is out, why don’t we give it a try as well. 

Let’s Contend for our Contentment!

                                                             This is a Thompson Truth.