To enjoy the full benefit from pesky questions like the contentment question, we need to spread them over our lives like rich butter on warm, fresh bread: liberally. When we move the question around different parts our life, it helps us clarify where we need to work on our God-given responsibilities, and it helps us attend to subtle long term needs, rather than only concentrating on screeching and screaming short term pressures. 

What if our marriage is not ideal?  If this is the best it is going to be, what biblical steps can we take to make it as Christ-honoring as possible?

Proven Prompters to Action

From simple problems (leaky faucet, of which I have one right now), to serious life challenges (major health problem or marital struggles), the contentment question and the satisfying the Lord question are proven prompters to get our minds moving from a defeated or entitled tone to one ready to learn what the Lord has in our very own real life.

“If this is the best it will ever be, would I be content? Should I be content?”

“If I shouldn’t be content, what can I(righteously) do to satisfy the Lord (by fulfilling responsibilities and demonstrating wise stewardship of time, talent, and possessions)?”

• If my devotional life will never be better than it is now, should I be content?
• If my morning routine is the best it will ever be, should I be content?
• If my process for maintaining my personal areas is the best it will ever be, should I be content?
• If my zeal for souls will always be what it is now, should I be content?
• If my relationship with my authorities (father, husband, employer, government) is the best it will ever be right now, should I be content?
• If my knowledge of the breadth of Scripture is the best that it will ever be, should I be content?
• If all I will ever know about preparing nutritious meals is what I know now, should I be content?
• If the way I dress now is the best I will ever look, should I be content?

Now is an excellent time to pull out the value and priority list again. No, I haven’t forgotten that we haven’t finished it. We’re just applying the time tool called simmering, which is as valuable as the doing-it-immediately tool, depending on the need. Thinking about your whole life on one sheet of paper is worth a week or two of simmering. Give the list some additional contentment thinking and see what shakes loose.