Is all discontentment created equal?

Why would you think any of those things might be wrong???

Considering good and godly goals, being content with what we have comes into play after we've honestly done all we can to live as well as we can for the Lord, or at least while we're honestly in the process of getting there. Being content is not a cover for underachieving.

Discontent, like any emotion, can go either way. It can fester and turn malignant, or it can spur us on to where we need to be. Paul alludes to this dynamic in Eph 4, where he tells us to "be angry, but sin not". The anger is a legitimate response to some situations. We're not to sit around passively when there are things to be done. But if we let the anger fester we're in trouble, so he adds "don't let the sun go down on your anger". IOW, reconcile the anger, don't carry it. And if you need to make changes, convert the anger into a positive motivation and an appropriate plan.

bob8619 said:

Does God mean to literally not strive for anything other than what we currently have?

Click to expand...

He doesn't want you to strive. Let Him chart the path. Just quietly listen.

I think you are confusing motivation with contentment. There is contentment that says "I'm okay with life" and there is motivation that says "I'm okay with life, but I know that if I do not live up to my God-given potential, I am robbing God of all he has given me to be, so I am going to go for more."

The definition of contentment from a biblical perspective is: “An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances”—Holman Bible Dictionary.

Apostle Paul learned to be content regardless of what kind
of circumstances he happened to be in...rich or poor, well fed or hungry, free or imprisoned... or as Paul puts it:
Philippians 4:11-13
"I’m not saying this because I’m in any need.
I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in.
I know how to live in poverty or prosperity.
No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret
of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when
I have too much or when I have too little.
I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."

We can also look at Paul's life and see that he didn't stay
in one place or do the same job, as one "sold out to God"
he was put to work --so to speak.
God had Paul going places, giving speeches/teaching/preaching, making tents etc.

Actually there's a lot of folks in the Bible that God used and they didn't stay in one place all their lives nor did they do the same job all their lives...examples: Matthew(tax collector) and David(shepherd).

A longing to change jobs or move closer to family
isn't always a bad thing...I would encourage anyone
to diligently pray about such matters and get godly
advice concerning changing jobs and moving away
from where one has lived for so long.





What to strive for:
Mark 12:30-31
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Matthew 6:33
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added
unto you."

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."

I hear people in tahiti have this, they called it feu or something in .french that means they are fed up. Life is so easy and laconic that they just want to go awol sometimes. Also it may be due to the heat.

Take a vacation or have a sabbatical...do a road trip and then see what you been missing. Its ok..Jesus travelled a fair bit in his ministry..as did Paul. Ask God to show you something new.