by Crystal Bustamante

Created on: January 24, 2009

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)

Hebrews 13:5 is an interesting verse of scripture. I have many times quoted this verse: "for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Many times I have wrote these words, explained these words and offered them as encouragement to others. In moments of anger, I have slung them at God as a reminder that He is supposed to be present in my situation. Yet, I have (I do not recall) never truly noticed the first words of this verse, which hold so much life in so few words - "and be content with such things as ye have".

No matter the situation in your life, this is the instruction of God - "be content". When your life is utter chaos and it seems like it will never be the same; when it seems all that you hold dear is suddenly stripped away and your left with only a bunch of questions without answers; when you seem to have lost your way and you wonder why God doesn't seem present in your situation - in all of these and more, He simply says: 'be content'. And when asked why, he says: "Because I'm right here. I've not left. I will not leave. I am not turning my back on you. I'm here." And that in itself is answer enough - "I will never leave you or forsake you." Be content.

Did He say it would be easy? No, but He said He would never leave. Did He say hard times and pain wouldn't come? No, but He said He would be your constant companion and your guide - if you let Him. So go. Be content. Trust Him.

In the 37th Psalm in the Amplified version of the Bible, the word 'uncompromisingly' or a similar word indicating consistency appears nine times. Interestingly, the Psalm is an assurance of the presence of God in your situation. It is the assurance that it will be alright in the end for the one that chooses to walk with God (uncompromisingly).

So the moral of the story: Be content. In all things be content. To be content is not to be in a permanent state of happiness. Happiness is temporal. It is based on externals. Instead, Webster's dictionary gives the definition of 'content' as 'literally, held, contained within limits; hence, quiet; not disturbed; having a mind at peace; easy; satisfied, so as not to repine, object, or oppose'. A closer look at the word 'repine' shows us the meaning is 'to fret one's self; to be discontented; to feel inward discontent which preys on the spirits; with at or against.'

To be content is to be satisfied or at peace in the presence of existing circumstances regardless of what the situation may be. Such contentment can only come from consistent commitment and trust in Almighty God. And such a state of trust and commitment keeps us from viewing our present situation, regardless of what it may be, with discontentment that preys on our spirit and destroys the work that God is trying to do in our lives.

Sometimes God doesn't answer that popular question "why?" Instead He just says 'I'm here'. And that is answer enough.

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