Learn Contentment

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

LEARN CONTENTMENT

2 Sam 16:5-14

5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 6 He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel! 8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!" 9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head." 10 But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?'" 11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. 12 It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." 13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

NIV

This is certainly not a pleasant experience David and his men were having. Who would enjoy having stones thrown at them, and dirt being thrown from a hilltop as passing beneath it? Who would accept being cursed at, yelled at, and called a man of blood? How would we react to someone yelling at us, “Get out, get out, you scoundrel!” Although one of David’s men wanted to cut Shimei’s head off, David was content to receive this cursing, stoning, and dirt-throwing. He had the LORD on his mind and considered that the LORD would see this distress and repay him with good. It is the contentment of David that is our story. It is doubtful we would be stoned, although there have been churches that have received very harsh treatment from a hater of Christians. There have been shooters who have entered churches, and there have been some churches burnt to the ground. There has been cursing against people of faith. However, on the personal level, we have not had to endure that type of persecution, but there have been times that seemed difficult. There have been situations that have not been pleasant. However, whatever our situation in life, or experiences we travel through, we have to learn to be content. That is the truth of life, that we have to learn to be content because contentment is not a natural trait, for it seems easier to express discontentment about so many things in our lives. “We don’t like this”, or “We don’t like that”, “can’t you fix that?” On and on, we express something we do not like, something is, and want it another way, or have someone do something about it. This is not to say we should not fix things or change things, but our lives would be far better if we learned to be content, even when things are not going as we planned. Jesus told us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. He continued to tell us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. This was in the context of not seeking after what the pagans run after, not to worry about what we don’t have or can’t do, not to worry about things, learn to be content in the Lord, and he will see to it that we are taken care of, that life will work out, we only need to live in his contentment.