But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. – I Cor 7:29-30

As Christians, we need to live “as though” the things of this world do not affect us, as Vance Havner used to say.  We need to live as though we did not have wives, husbands, houses, lands or anything else that would entangle us in this world.  There is nothing wrong with having these things, you just need to be sure the things do not have you.  We have to move and have our being in this world, we just can’t be controlled by it.  We can’t let our flesh run us.

Mastering the art of living “as though” is where the rubber meets the road for a Christian.  If you can be content with or without a wife, with or without joy, with or without a house, etc., you have mastered the art of living “as though”.  If you get to that point in your Christian growth, there is not much the devil can take from you or do to you.

Job had his houses, lands, children, health and joy taken from him.  He made it through without cursing God.  I would say he lived “as though”.  Things did not possess Job, Job possessed his things.  We need to live with a loose hold on the things of this life and what God gives or does not give us.  When you live that way, there is very little that is going to bother you or trip you up.  Why not work on your contentment today with the help of God.  Real contentment can only be produced by the Holy Ghost working in us.