Complete in Christ
A devotional from Undeserved Favor Ministry based on the preaching "Reign Over Your Finances" PART 1
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6
In Ptr Ron’s message “Reign Over Your Finances,” he emphasized that true wealth begins not with money but with mindset. Paul’s words to Timothy echo this truth with striking simplicity: great gain is found where godliness meets contentment. Heaven’s definition of wealth does not begin in the wallet but in the heart.
The Greek word for contentment, autarkeia, carries a rich meaning: self-sufficiency, adequacy, an inner state not dependent on outward circumstances. But Paul was not promoting a self-reliant attitude; he was pointing believers to a Christ-sufficient life. Autarkeia is the posture of someone who understands that because Christ dwells within, they are already supplied, already secure, already complete. Contentment, therefore, is not resignation but revelation—seeing Christ as enough.
When this Christ-filled contentment is joined with godliness, Scripture calls it great gain. The phrase does not refer merely to spiritual benefit; it speaks of a wealth that transcends economic systems. It means a believer’s peace, worth, and identity are no longer tied to possessions or achievements. This is the kind of wealth that allows a person to steward finances from a place of inner rest rather than restless striving.
Yet the enemy often works in quiet suggestions. Someone begins telling themselves, “I’ll finally be satisfied once I buy this… or achieve that… or build this.” Without noticing it, their heart becomes tethered to future milestones. They start believing that fulfillment lies one accomplishment away. But every time they reach one goal, another rises to take its place. It becomes an endless chase after a moving target.
Then comes a moment of revelation amidst lack. A believer sees they have been trapped in a cycle of thinking, “I’ll be okay once I have more.” As truth breaks through, they see that sufficiency does not come from possessions but from a Person. The presence of Christ redefines the entire equation: if He is in me, I am not lacking. With that revelation, the heart releases its grip on unhealthy desires. Money loses its power to define or dictate. Wealth stops being a master and becomes simply a tool.
Beloved, contentment in Christ does not weaken ambition; it purifies it. It frees you from striving to prove yourself and allows you to pursue financial growth with clarity and purpose. When you live in autarkeia, you learn to reign over your finances—not by controlling everything, but by standing firm in the One who holds everything. In Him, you already carry the greatest gain.