The Danger of Discontentment

In 1985, the band Prince and The Revolution released a song called “Pop Life.” The lyrics of this song is about being discontent with the state of one’s life in this world. Actually, the lyrics bring us face to face with the things we desire in this life as well as with our responses when those desires and expectations go unmet. The lyrics say: “Tell me, what’s the matter with your world? Was it a boy when u wanted a girl? Don’t u know straight hair ain’t got no curl? Life it ain’t real funky, Unless it’s got that pop! Dig it! Pop life, Everybody needs a thrill. Pop life, We all got a space 2 fill. Pop life, Everybody wants to be on top. But life it ain’t real funky, Unless it’s got that pop!” Many believers today are discontent with their life. They’ve become emotionally, spiritually, and, in many instances, mentally impaired from a sense that their life lacks that “pop”—that something—that person, that possession, that experience that they believe will provide them with the degree of fulfillment, significance, happiness, and satisfaction they’ve longed for but have yet to discover. In our discontent, we’re tempted to pursue the “pop life” which can lead to regretful situations and circumstances we thought we’d never encounter while, conversely, reaping devastating consequences that we thought we’d never experience. That’s the danger of discontentment! Discontentment will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay! At its most basic level, discontentment is rooted in misplaced affections. It’s really as simple as that. At the root of all discontentment is a heart that has lost sight of what Jesus said is the “foremost” commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Matthew 22:37). Discontentment is a failure on our part to seek the things above, rather than the things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:1-3). And our affections, for better or worse, are always a matter of the heart. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Our contentment is to be found in Jesus, and Him alone! Be encouraged!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible teacher & expositor