Gain

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." -1 Timothy 6:6

This has become my verse for singleness. Of course, I will want to remember this whenever I am dating or married, too, but it is particularly encouraging to me in this time.

Godliness and contentment. These are not very powerful words when merely read. They are not words like "love" or "death" or "abortion" or "American" which instantly invoke strong emotion. But these two words are infinitely influential when we contemplate how difficult they are to attain.

Godliness - being divine; showing reverence to God; being like God

Contentment - happiness in any situation

How easy are those? Not very. Living the right kind of life is tough enough. It is also difficult to feel even a spark of cheer when we watch our loved ones suffer, or if we are in pain. Where is the "Easy" button!? Can't I just skip the godly-and-content part?

And yet, I do not seriously consider skipping that part. I know that these are the only ways to get me where I should be. I don't want to push a big red button, then look back on these long years and say "That was easy!" I want to look back and say "That was worth it."

... I nearly ended this blog right there, but when I went back to the start to review... the verse changed my mind. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."

Uh oh. Maybe I read too deeply into that... or too shallowly. Very possibly. When I first read this, my subconscious definition of "gain" was self-centered. I automatically viewed "gain" as getting what I envisioned for myself in life (boyfriend, husband, family) without considering the absolute definition. "Gain" was also defined in the Bible as death.

Yes, death. Paul said "For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). ...So, stronger words really are involved in 1 Timothy 6:6 when godliness and contentment are set equal to gain. It's just as serious as "American," "abortion," "love," or "death" itself.

I'm not saying "Be godly and content, then you'll die." But I am saying that striving to be like God and finding happiness in every moment will get me closer to the will God has written for my life. No matter if His will is love or death or something in between, it is assuredly "good, pleasing and perfect" (Rom. 12:2). Whatever happens, I am promised to be gaining, and that's something I can live with.