“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Phil. 4:11
This passage and ones like it is show up a lot in my readings in the Puritan. From Jeremiah Burroughs or Thomas Watson (if you don’t know who these men are you need to seek them out) to more contemporary authors this subject of contentment is high on the list of things that Christians should be exhibiting especially in times of unrest and turmoil.
The Bible is full of teaching concerning contentment whether it uses the word or not. It is as simple as the first verse of Psalm 23, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Or even, Psalm 37:3-5, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Then there is this New Testament exhortation from Paul (one among many), to His mentee Timothy, I Timothy 6:6-7, “Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” The Bible continues to call out to us, His people, to be content in the Lord.
Whether it is the Bible or the discontentment of this life (interesting how this works) the school of contentment constantly beckons us. It’s always in session—at home, “online,” at work, in the shopping district—anywhere our unglorified hearts get exposed to advertisements and comparisons. Discontentment is easy, sinful and leads us to despair. Left unchecked, ingratitude, discontentment, and envy infect our hearts, and poison relationships.
Today, on this October Thursday, acknowledge your NEED that only God in Jesus can meet. It is obvious that this NEED for contentment has been and is a great NEED among God’s people…among us… or the Bible and fellow Christians wouldn’t be spending so much time on it for our good and God’s glory. Listen to Paul again, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Even he has not reached perfection on this and never will. The Greek “for I have learned” is in the perfect tense so it could read, “…for I have learned, am learning and will continue to learn.” Paul is clearly saying this should be a lifelong pursuit of the Christian.
For when we are content, we recognize God’s hand in everything…and when we recognize that, we can and will glorify Him with the grace of contentment (given by Him, as well, through Jesus) in our lives. He is not calling us to be passive in the face of injustice and inequity, but to place a deep seated trust in Christ knowing that He has everything under control and that He will direct us how He wills to His own glory in whatever situation we are placed in.
So today, pray to God that He, by His Spirit, will convict us when we slide into murmuring and complaining. Ask Him to heal our forgetfulness, as we look to ourselves…fail…and then become discontent with our surroundings. A sign of contentment is when we, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thess. 5:16-18). With this contentment, God will free us for a life of serving and giving and glorifying His name.
God Bless y’all this morning.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
