CONTENMENT

 
January 19, 2023                                               CONTENTMENT
Philippians 4:6-7, 11-12, 19   “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”      “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”     “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Paul had an amazing testimony; the good news is that all believers can have the same testimony. In the day in which we live, there is much that we could be anxious about, but I suppose that is the way it has always been. Paul begins with saying to ‘be anxious for nothing;’ some might say that surely he did not mean that in a literal way; and others might say that Paul was special or unique-what he said is not for all believers. Let us embrace ‘being anxious for nothing’ as a word for us and discover that it can be true of us. Being anxious for nothing does not mean that we live in denial or that we ‘bury our heads in the sand.’ We do experience trials and difficulties, but our response can be such that we deal the difficulties is such a way that we are not anxious about them. When things come into our life that has the potential to make us anxious, we are to make our request known to God-through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Supplication means to ‘plead humbly.’ When we make our request to God in this way, His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Another important aspect of not being anxious is to learn how to be content in all circumstances-wow! Paul experienced extremely difficult circumstances, yet he lived in contentment; he knew how to get along with humble means, AND he knew how to live in prosperity with contentment. (Prosperity has its own way of making one anxious.) Paul goes on to say that he had ‘learned the secret’ of being filled and going hungry and of having abundance and having need. That is amazing. Note that Paul learned to be content-it was not automatic; and he learned the secret of being content in all circumstances. How do we learn, and what is the secret? I’m sure I cannot answer those questions fully, but I do believe that the answer revolves around the issue of knowing and trusting God in the deepest part of our being-more than with a head knowledge. I must believe that God is all powerful, all knowing, and that He alone reigns over all; whatever comes my way, God has allowed it. By our own action or inaction, we can bring about certain circumstances, but even so, God has allowed it and He can use the circumstances for our own good and for His glory. Finally, we can find contentment because God has promised to strengthen us and to supply all of our needs. He may not supply all our wants, but He will supply what we need, and with that, let us be content.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness and contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”
Blessings,
Buddy