Contentment: Seeing God's Goodness

by Megan E. Hill

Overview

“If I could just have a little more . . . if my situation were just a little different! My plan for my life would be perfect—if it would just come true!” It is often obvious how little we are in control of our lives, and discontent seems like a natural response to not getting what we want. But it’s a dangerous attitude that drives us away from God—and, ironically, getting what we want wouldn’t fix it! So what will? Megan Hill takes us on a month-long journey to lift our eyes from our own expectations for our lives and fix them on the God who is more reliable than our changing circumstances—and who ordains them for our good. This daily devotional teaches us the value of contentment, helps us to cultivate a thankful heart, and provides immensely practical approaches for pursuing contentment in specific types of circumstances that trigger our worry and anxiety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629954882
Publisher:	Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
Publication date:	09/28/2018
Series:	31-Day Devotionals for Life , #5
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Megan Hill is a pastor's daughter and a pastor's wife. She lives with her husband and four children in Massachusetts, where she is a member of West Springfield Covenant Community Church (PCA). She is the author of several books and the managing editor for The Gospel Coalition.

Table of Contents

Tips for Reading This Devotional 7

Introduction 9

The Value of Contentment

Day 1 Abundant Life 15

Day 2 A Weightless Heart 17

Day 3 Contentment Is Great Gain 19

Finding Contentment by Looking to Christ

Day 4 Christ, Our Encouragement 23

Day 5 Christ, Our Example 25

Day 6 Christ, Our Power 27

Day 7 Christ's Glory, Our Goal 29

Cultivating a Right Understanding of My Circumstances

Day 8 I Have Nothing 33

Day 9 I Can Do Nothing 35

Day 10 God Takes Discontent Seriously 37

Day 11 God's Care for Me Is More Certain Than Life's Changing Circumstances 39

Day 12 The Circumstances of My Life Are Carefully Designed for the Good of My Undying Soul 41

Cultivating Right Desires

Day 13 Desire Must Be Trained 45

Day 14 God Sets the Priorities for My Desires 47

Day 15 Desiring God's Glory 49

Day 16 Desiring Daily Provision from God's Hand 51

Day 17 Desiring Holiness 53

Day 18 Righteous Discontent 55

Cultivating a Thankful Heart

Day 19 Thanksgiving Is God's Will for Me 59

Day 20 Giving Thanks for Salvation 61

Day 21 Giving Thanks for Daily Provision 63

Day 22 Giving Thanks for God's Purposes 65

Day 23 Giving Thanks for My Neighbors Blessings 67

Pursuing Contentment in Specific Circumstances

Day 24 Work and Responsibilities 71

Day 25 Money and Possessions 73

Day 26 Relationships and Family 75

Day 27 Status and Recognition 77

Day 28 Gifts and Opportunities 79

Day 29 Health and Abilities 81

Day 30 Beauty and Appearance 83

Day 31 I Have Learned to Be Content 85

Conclusion 87

Notes 89

Suggested Resources for the Fight 93

Editorial Reviews

While discontent can spring up like weeds in a garden, contentment is a cultivated fruit, learned through study and practice. Megan Hill’s new devotional Contentment: Seeing God’s Goodness overflows with wisdom, truth, and practical applications. These daily readings refocus our gaze off of ourselves (or our neighbor’s cute new coat) and onto the goodness and faithfulness of our God. It’s a needed and helpful book, and I highly recommend it.

Melissa Kruger

Be content.” “Pursue contentment.” “Repent of discontent.” We’ve all heard the exhortations and rebukes. We all agree with them. "But how?" we cry. How do we get there? Megan Hill comes to the rescue with a practical daily devotional full of how-to’s and why-to’s. But, more importantly, she shows that the remedy for discontent lies ultimately not within the "how" and "why" of a daily technique but in the "who" of a daily relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our hearts are often prone to discontent. We want what others have and think that our lives would be better if only that one thing would change (and that one thing sometimes varies from week to week). Megan Hill's new devotional helps readers to see the source of discontent and paints a picture of biblical contentment rooted in the gospel. Contentment: Seeing God's Goodness helps those who are longing to shed the weight of discontent by pointing them to the soul-satisfying contentment found in Jesus Christ.

Christina Fox

Megan Hill exposes the lie that seduces so many of us, demonstrating that a change in our circumstances will not improve our lives. With clear, practical, biblical reflection, Hill leads us to the greener pastures of Christian contentment. But she doesn’t simply tell us to “stop our complaining”; she tells us to embrace Christ, the suffering yet contented Savior. I am glad for this resource that teaches us to live his life of holy, surrendered desire.

Jen Pollock Michel

Those of us who continually study contentment do so because we, like many others, have not fully "learned to be content in any and every circumstance" with the apostle Paul. Armed with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—Megan Hill has given us a wise and beautifully written daily devotional to help us attain this important Christian virtue. Its practical insights and applications, its simplicity and depth, its conviction and comfort will make this a daily devotional that I will return to often in my ongoing struggle for the great gain of godliness with contentment.

William Barcley

Megan Hill’s “Contenment” provides thoughtful, practical, and scriptural helps for Christians seeking to cultivate everyday contentment. Each entry includes a short meditation drawn from Scripture, often with interesting examples and illustrations, and concludes with helpful reflection questions and specific suggestions for action. Megan delivers deep content, drawn from the best of the reformed tradition (including Burroughs, Bunyan, Calvin, and the Heidelberg Catechism), in warm accessible prose. Read this book, engage its questions, pursue its suggestions, and be helped to see and re-see God’s abundant goodness in your life.

Rev. David T. Irving

Megan Hill is fast becoming a popular writer. Having just read her latest work, Contentment, I can see why. Her writing style is personal, practical, and best of all, full of Scripture and the Savior. Her new 31-day devotional provides mind-renewing perspectives and powerful antidotes to discontentment, a mindset which unfortunately plagues many. I was extremely encouraged while reading this book and will recommend it widely.

Pastor Rob Ventura

"With wonderful illustrations and beautiful prose, Megan Hill encourages her readers that the fight against discontentment is far from hopeless. Her daily devotional cuts to the heart of the struggle for contentment by connecting us to gospel resources in the Scriptures and in the saints who have already gone before us. If your heart is too often enamored with all the things God hasn't seen fit to give you, thirty days in this book will help to bring it back to Him who is our portion and delight."

Caleb Cangelosi

Be content.” “Pursue contentment.” “Repent of discontent.” We’ve all heard the exhortations and rebukes. We all agree with them. But “HOW?” we cry. How do we get there? Megan Hill comes to the rescue with a practical daily devotional full of how-to’s, why-to’s, and who to. Because, ultimately, the remedy for discontent is not a daily technique but a daily relationship with Jesus Christ.

David Murray