Purpose vs. Contentment

Purpose vs. Contentment 
How terrible it will be for you who sprawl on ivory beds surrounded with luxury. (Amos 6:4)

Which is the bigger concern for you at the moment—to be comfortable and at ease or to share the greatest story ever told? Are you more interested in personal contentment or in making sure that God’s Word is spread to those in your city?

Many of us may say that God’s message of salvation is the primary focus of our life, yet our lifestyle often says otherwise. Through his prophet Amos, God warned Israel against this type of priority shift. “How terrible it will be for you who sprawl on ivory beds surrounded with luxury, eating the meat of tender lambs and choice calves. You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and you fancy yourselves to be great musicians, as King David was. You drink wine by the bowlful, and you perfume yourselves with exotic fragrances, caring nothing at all that your nation is going to ruin” (Amos 6:4-6).

God never called us to be comfortable; he called us to be holy. To be set apart from the world. To think and act and speak differently from the rest of society. Our thoughts and priorities should transcend the physical world and be driven instead by the spiritual realities we’ve come to understand. Our goal should be singular and unwavering—to bring others before God’s throne. Our primary purpose and passion should be to save others from the pit of hell, just as God has saved us from it. So why do we still spend so much time seeking personal comfort? Why is the bulk of our money and time and energy spent on making our own life easier? Is it because we think we deserve it?

Too often we convince ourselves that God wants to manifest his blessings on his people in the form of ease and luxury. A friend of mine once said, “If there were no problems in the world, no one would ever talk to God.” Heaven would be a lonely and quiet place if God’s people didn’t have a little pain and discomfort in their lives. And pain is not always a bad thing. Being uncomfortable is not always a sign of God’s displeasure.

If you’re feeling uneasy and distressed at this point in your life, chances are good that you’re right where God wants you to be. You’re being pulled and shaped by him, prodded toward something greater and nobler than personal comfort. And that’s a good place to be.  

Today’s Reading  Amos 6:1-7
 Reflection  Why does God use discomfort to get our attention? How might he be trying to get your attention at the moment?