—I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.–John 10:10
To have abundant life, we must use the life we have. If the child would have his puny arm grow into strength—he must exercise it. The smith wields his hammer—and his muscles become like bands of iron. If you would have your brain develop into mental strength—you must use it. It is so of every faculty and function of the life. If you would have your power of sympathy grow, until you are able to be a true helper and comforter of others—you must find expression for your sympathy. If you would become a true helper—begin in little ways. Every outgoing of love in true service—makes our love itself more abundant.

Begin with the little life you have, accept every opportunity to use it—and by and by you will reach a capacity for helpfulness and service which will amaze you. But sit down and do nothing, put forth no effort, and your little life will dry up and shrivel to a crisp. “If the stars did not move,” said Horace Bushnell, “they might rot in the sky!” The curse on thousands of Christian lives, is inactivity. Do not use your hand, and it will wither to death. The same is true of all physical, mental, and moral powers; unused they will die. If you would have abundant life, use every particle of the life you have, and it will develop until it reaches fullness of power.–J. R. Miller, 1895

Two of the most important days in Paul’s life was the day when he discovered he was a sinner, because the Bible says,”Thou shalt not covet”(Romans 7:7); and the day he could finally say,”I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content”(Phil. 4:11). Notice the two issues–covetousness and contentment. Most of us do what we shouldn’t and don’t do what we should–we covet and we aren’t content. Chuck Swindoll wrote:

The good life—the one that truly satisfies—exists only when we stop wanting a better one. 

It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what might be. The itch for things, the lust for more—so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them—is a virus draining our souls of happy contentment. 

Have you noticed? A man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Clothes are never fashionable enough. Cars are never nice enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough.

Satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, “This is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and my vital union with the living Lord.”

—we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience. And patience, experience; and experience hope.–Romans 5:3-4

Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

Sometimes God kindly sends afflictions to chastise
His people for sin, and curb their carnal affections.
Yet, at other times He sends afflictions to exercise
and improve their graces.

Whatever my affliction is, the wisdom of Him
who sends it, should make me embrace and
bear it without repining.

Afflictions do not spring out of the dust–nor
come at random. Some of God’s favorite ones
have, for wise ends, had the severest afflictions.

Affliction deadens the pleasures of sense, and
gives the soul a relish for spiritual things. It
divorces the soul from the creature, and draws
it near to God.

Affliction renders the creature tasteless, and the
world barren. It dispels the intoxicating juice of
carnal pleasures and sensual delights.

I should welcome whatever afflictions loosen me
from this world, and bring me nearer to God.
–James Meikle

Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainspring and the mainstay of our joy here. It will animate our hearts to think often of heaven, for all that we can desire is promised there. Here we are weary and toilworn, but yonder is the land of rest where the sweat of labour shall no more bedew the worker’s brow, and fatigue shall be for ever banished. To those who are weary and spent, the word “rest” is full of heaven. We are always in the field of battle; we are so tempted within, and so molested by foes without, that we have little or no peace; but in heaven we shall enjoy the victory, when the banner shall be waved aloft in triumph, and the sword shall be sheathed, and we shall hear our Captain say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” We have suffered bereavement after bereavement, but we are going to the land of the immortal where graves are unknown things. Here sin is a constant grief to us, but there we shall be perfectly holy, for there shall by no means enter into that kingdom anything which defile them.— Oh! is it not joy, that you are not to be in banishment for ever, that you are not to dwell eternally in this wilderness, but shall soon inherit Canaan? Nevertheless let it never be said of us, that we are dreaming about the future and forgetting the present, let the future sanctify the present to highest uses. Through the Spirit of God the hope of heaven is the most potent force for the product of virtue; it is a fountain of joyous effort, it is the corner stone of cheerful holiness. The man who has this hope in him goes about his work with vigour, for the joy of the Lord is his strength. He fights against temptation with ardour, for the hope of the next world repels the fiery darts of the adversary. He can labour without present reward, for he looks for a reward in the world to come.–C. H. Spurgeon

Since “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1Tim. 6:10) we need to hear more than a few warnings about it. You don’t have to be rich to be guilty. Sometimes the poorest people are the most covetous. We all would do well to heed this warning from J. C. Ryle in 1878:

It is an utter mistake to suppose that RICHES alone can give happiness. They can enable a man to command and possess everything — but inward peace! They cannot buy a cheerful spirit and a light heart. There is . . .
  care in the getting of them,
  care in the keeping of them,
  care in the using of them,
  care in the disposing of them,
  care in the gathering of them,
  and care in the scattering of them!

He was a wise man who said that “Money” was only another name for “trouble” and that the same English letters which spelled “acres” would also spell “cares.”

Are you poor? Are you tempted to imagine that if you had the rich man’s place — that you would be quite happy? Resist the temptation, and cast it behind you. Do not envy your wealthy neighbors — be content with such things as you have. Happiness does not depend on houses or lands! Silks and satins cannot shut out sorrow from the heart! Castles cannot prevent anxiety and care coming in at their doors. There is as much misery riding and driving about in splendid carriages — as there is walking about on foot! There is as much unhappiness in large mansions — as in poor cottages!