The Lesson of Contentment
"I HAVE learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." And that is a great lesson to learn. Contentment is, in itself, a condition of being, rather than a consequence of having. It results from what a man is in himself, or in his relation to God; not from what he has, nor from where he is. The man who has contentment in one sphere, is pretty apt to have contentment in any sphere; and the one who is discontented in any place, is pretty sure to be discontented wherever he is. Contentment depends on what is within the man, rather than on what is around him—outside. So, if any of us are discontented, we may know that no added possessions, no change of circumstances, would in themselves give us contentment; what we need is to be different, not to have things different.—Sel.