The Pursuit of Contentment

Let's take a look at some of the things people commonly place their hope in and see how they hold up. 

People search everywhere for contentment. But generally, there are a few areas that they tend to focus their actions when pursuing it: relationships, sex, money, notoriety, work, philanthropy and various vices. But will those things succeed in making them happy? Here's my brief take:

Monogamous Relationships So important. But marriage is difficult—anything is when you are dealing with other people. All in all, it's not an end. It can be glorious along the way, but it is not the destination. Verdict: Close, but no.

Sex As if putting our hope in a physical act that bonds people physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually could ever be put at the center of our purpose. Look at people who have spent their lives philandering. They are, largely, rent through their exploits. Verdict: No, not in-and-of itself, though it can accompany relationships nicely. 

Money This cannot ever buy happiness. The mantra "Get rich or die trying" leaves much to be desired. Verdict: Has never worked, will never work.

Notoriety Trying to be known by being lauded by people who don't know you; not a good strategy. Verdict: No, misses the point of being known, valued.

Work Working hard at something, no matter how noble isn't the fulfillment of our persons. And over-working eats the soul. Verdict: No, but close - vocations that make a difference are extremely pivotal, yet not the goal.

Philanthropy Seeking to help other people because...they need to be helped. Benevolence is wonderful and needed. But the question is "why help?" To what end are you helping? Philanthropy for the sake of others is stellar, but it will bite you in the rear if you attempt to serve for the good of humankind, for your own benefit, or because you feel you're "supposed" to. Verdict: Oh, so close. 

Vices Drinking, drugs, food, pornography, and such addictive behavior. We may think they taste or feel 'good', but they are numbing of the soul, drawing attention away from more important issues. Verdict: No, not even on the same level as the others.

Don't just take my word for it on these things; here's what some people who've achieved much of the aforementioned have said:

Actor Jim Carrey - "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of, so they can see that it's not the answer."

Clothing Designer Roberto Cavalli - "In the beginning, I loved being famous, but now I am tired of it and I would like to go back to my freedom."

Greek Philosopher Socrates - “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”

And although some consider it antiquated, here's similar—with arguably more depth—that the Bible communicated long ago:

"All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.

- and -

"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,'" Hebrews 13:5.

The issue of contentment is nuanced: we should be working hard, we should be caring for people well, we should be enjoying life's beauty—but those things don't dictate our contentment, they accompany it as a sign that we're on the right track.

Our contentment should be in something bigger than ourselves.

That's why I place my contentment in Jesus:

Jesus Acknowledging that there is something bigger than us, and that something is God—a brilliant being that has our best interests at heart (though He permits us make decisions and live with the consequences of those) and has done all He could to love us well. Verdict: Yes, I believe so—and though it may seem a backward way to look at things; in this instance, I think the backward is forward.