I have learned in
whatever state I am, to be content: I
know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned
both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:11-12
Many of us have some mixed-up ideas about contentment. We think that if we can just have this good
thing, travel to this place, have this job, be married to this person, have a
good size saving account that our life will be better. If we can avoid certain undesirable things,
then we’ll be really happy. If we thought about it more than a
nanosecond, though, we’d realize that we know plenty of people who have this or
who have successfully avoided that but still aren’t any happier than we
are. Just look at the examples of many
rich and famous movie stars, sports players, political leaders. There must be something more to
contentment.....
Somewhere along the way, Paul learned the secret of contentment. He realized that possessions, fame, beauty,
and other earthly things can be pleasant for a while, but they can never
produce genuine contentment. That comes
from the inside. We experience true
contentment when external things lose their grip on our hearts and don’t matter
much anymore. Some of us get bent out of
shape when we realize our favorite shirt is still at the cleaners or when we
can’t find the perfect pair of shoes or when things just don't go the way we
expect or want them to. Paul’s well of
contentment was so deep that he could enjoy life with or without the most basic
needs. He was content being full or
going hungry, having many possessions or little to speak of, living a life
life of ease or suffering at the hands of evil men. He did suffer, alot.
A poster in a college professor’s office reads, “Happiness
isn’t having what you want; it’s wanting what you have.” Jealousy, envy, and greed suck the life—and
any sense of contentment—out of us.
Focus on the Lord, find joy in Him who is the author of life, joy,
holiness, and love. True satisfaction can only be found in Him.
