Are you content or comfortable?

     Are you content or comfortable? The Apostle Paul said he had learned to be content no matter his circumstances, (Philippians 4:11) and we are commanded to be content with what we have in Hebrews 13:5. So what is the difference between content and comfortable?

     Let me make an illustration from my own history. For most of my adult life, no matter what else is going on, I have been comfortable, because I AM HOME. I have my family and friends nearby. I know where everything is (or should be!) I have the food I like, the wife I love, the right pillow and as we phrase it, "all the comforts of home." When I am deployed, I am not comfortable. I can be content, because I have what I need, and I am doing a good thing helping our wounded troops, but I am never comfortable. I am only comfortable when I am home.

     That is the way we need to be in our spiritual life. We have sung on many occasions that, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through," but the reality for many of us is that we are not just content in this life, but we have become comfortable! We have made this world our home, something that is against God's will. That is not right. The only place we should consider ourselves comfortable spiritually is when we get to our home, heaven. We can be somewhat comfortable around fellow christians and in our worship because it is a small taste of heaven, but the bottom line is that we should only be content in this life.

     For those of us who have become comfortable in this life, how do we go back to only being content?

     First, we have to remember that this is only a temporary assignment, like my military deployments. I don't spend all my money and time trying to make myself comfortable in a temporary abode when I am overseas. I am willing to be a little uncomfortable, because I know it is temporary. We need to allow ourselves to stop being comfortable in this life, because it is not our home. Instead, I would argue that we need to make ourselves at least a little uncomfortable, so that we can remember that this world is not our home.

    Second, just like we invest in making our homes comfortable, we need to invest in making our heavenly home comfortable. Jesus put it this way, 'For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:34)

My prayer for you this week, and from here on is that you always be content in this life, but never comfortable!

God Bless you in your contentment - Robert