A little pride is not a bad thing. Being proud of your children when they make good grades or do good in sports. Being proud of a promotion or raise at work. But when you become proud to the point you expect praise from others you set yourself up for discontentment. You begin to need that praise to validate your life. It becomes your proof to yourself that you are as good as you think you are and when you stop receiving praise from others you are disappointed with yourself. But when you're not haughty or lifting yourself up high, you have quieted yourself. You no longer have to prove yourself to anyone so you can live a satisfied and contented life.

Genesis 27:41 "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob."

Genesis 33:1-11 "And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself."

Can a discontented person change? Esau did. His brother Jacob cheated him out of his birthright and also his blessing. His discontent was so great he was plotting to kill Jacob until their mother found out and arranged to send Jacob away. Twenty years later they were meeting again for the first time since Jacob had left home. Jacob was afraid his brother was still angry and sent ahead gifts to him. But when they finally met, Esau assured him that he did not need anything Jacob had, he had enough! Esau was no longer discontented. In twenty years he had learned to be content with what he had, it was enough. Most people do not learn that lesson in a lifetime!

Life is full of disappointments and people who are closest to us are the ones who seem to disappoint us most. We can feel hurt and bitter as Esau did or we can do as he later learned to do and forgive the people who hurt us, get over our disappointments and get on with our lives. Only then can we be content.

Philippians 4:10-13, 19 " But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Are you content with your life? It isn't wrong to work toward a better education, look for a better job or a larger house. It's not even wrong to buy a new car every few years. Discontent comes when you are always wanting more or never happy with what you have. I once knew someone who was never content with anything. She bought a brand new house with new carpet throughout but didn't like the carpet so she had it all ripped out and replaced. Then soon she decided she didn't like that carpet either because it left streaks when she vacuumed so she replaced it, too. She bought a new dining room suite and had the men from the furniture store replace pieces twice because she said some of the wood on the chair legs and the china cabinet door didn't match perfectly. She was never happy with any present she received and returned most. She was a very unhappy person. Most discontented people are!

Paul knew how to be content if he had a lot or a little because he didn't depend on things to make him happy, he depended on Christ. He knew that God would supply his needs. But remember, God didn't promise us we would have a wonderful life of ease and die peacefully in our sleep and go to heaven! Christians suffer and die. Paul suffered more than most! He was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned and history says he was beheaded. But still, he had learned to be content with his life in Christ! He said he knew how to be both full and hungry, both abound and suffer need. He could do all things through Christ. He had learned to trust God to supply all his needs and to be content with what God supplied.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." Many people think money and more things will bring them contentment but money and things usually just bring a desire for more money and more things. It seems the more we have the more we want. I'm ashamed to say it was really hard for me to come up with ideas for Christmas presents for my husband to buy me last year. I already had most of the latest "gadgets". We are so blessed with things - most of us are really quite spoiled but yet we want more! It is time we learned to be content with what we have lest we ere from the faith and pierce ourselves through with many sorrows! For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we will take nothing out. It's time we stop spoiling ourselves and start giving something back.