“…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11b)
- The Bible gives us cause for contentment – having the Lord.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)
- The Bible gives us a quorum for contentment – having food and clothing.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (I Timothy 6:8)
People aren’t content! They aren’t content with their jobs, spouses, kids, pastors, churches, houses, cars, or you name it. Like a cow fenced in a lush green pasture, we strain our necks through the electric fence convinced that the grass is far sweeter outside of our pasture. My wife and I received some marital advice while making a visit to a mother who was on her third husband. She told us, “If I knew then what I know now, I could have stuck with the first one!” It was her way of saying that she should have just been content.
Discontentment is the mother of many of life’s problems. It has ruined many lives. It has been the catalyst for many men and women to destroy a beautiful family or disrupt a peaceful existence in order to chase some fantasy of a “better life.” The bottom line is that we make poor life decisions and lose many things that we can’t get back when we are discontent.
Contentment is a learned behavior. Paul said in Philippians 4 that “he learned” to be content. He mentions three learned things that made him content.
1.) Learn God’s Providence.
Paul learned “how to abound and how to be abased” (Phil. 4:12). Paul wrote Philippians, the “Epistle of Joy,” from prison. He saw the Philippian jailor, Onesimus, guards, and others come to Christ in this circumstance. Paul understood that God had a purpose for difficult situations. Circumstances do not dictate God’s concern and care for His children. We must trust in the providential hand of God. “All things work together for good…” and “…God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20; Rom. 8:28).
Providence means, “to see before, care or preparation in advance, the continuous activity of God in His creation by which he preserves and governs, providence is the unseen hand of God in our life.”
2.) Learn God’s Power.
“I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)
God gives some “thorns in the flesh” but His “grace is sufficient” (II Cor. 12:9). We learn God’s strength in trials and further learn that God’s strength is all we need. The source of Samson’s strength was a mystery to the Philistines, but not to the people of God. Go to the source of your strength.
3.) Learn God’s Promises.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Both of my sons want shotguns, but at two and five they are not quite ready for the transition from their plastic, noisemaking guns to the real thing. “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of…” (Matt. 6:8). Our loving Heavenly Father gives and will continue to give us exactly what is best for us, but He also keeps from us what would be harmful.
I want both of my sons to have their own shotguns, but not now. At two and five they are not quite ready for them. Likewise, my Heavenly Father never gives me something that would be harmful to me no matter how hard I ask. He will however give me what I presently need.
As someone said, “God said He would meet our needs not our greeds.” I must learn to trust and be content with what God has given me and resting in God’s promise.