The Present as God’s Gift

Contentment: A Grace-Filled Choice

Thriving Where You Are

When God gives someone wealth and possessions, 

and the ability to enjoy them, 

to accept their lot and be happy in their toil

this is a gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 

Life is never free from its share of burdens—oppression, envy, toil, and uncertainty have been part of the human condition since the beginning. The writer of Ecclesiastes faces these realities head-on, yet he offers a counterintuitive truth: God grants not only the material blessings of life but also the inner capacity to enjoy them. This is a supernatural gift—a joy rooted not in the absence of trouble but in the presence of God. Jesus Himself warns us in Luke 12:15: “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” The joy Ecclesiastes speaks of is not built on accumulation but on recognizing the Giver. Our call is to see the Lord’s hand in our present circumstances and to meet Him there with gratitude.

We often delay our joy, waiting for perfect conditions that never arrive, but Scripture calls us to live fully in the moment we are given. Contentment is not resignation; it is an active trust in God’s wisdom, believing that where we are is exactly where He intends us to bear fruit. The Apostle Paul, having “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11), reminds us that such peace is possible only through Christ’s strength, for “my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

This perspective frees us from the tyranny of comparison and the restlessness of “what if.” To be content, you have to know you already have everything you need in Christ.” True thriving is not found in the removal of hardship, but in the assurance that God is present in it. As James 1:17 reminds us: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.” As we receive each day as a gift from His hand—both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it—we discover that joy is not a distant reward, but a present reality for those who walk with Him.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gift of this day and for the blessings You have placed in our lives—both great and small. Teach us to find joy in the present moment, to accept our lot with gratitude, and to see Your hand in our daily work. Let our lives, here and now, bring You glory. Amen.