March 19, 2022 I HAVE LEARNED
Philippians 4:11-13 “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.”
Man believes that he will be content when his circumstances are as he desires them to be. Even as believers we may find that our contentment is tied to our circumstances; when things are not as we like them to be, we may lose our contentment. However, we learn from Paul that we can learn to be content in all circumstances. Paul said that he did not “speak from want;’ not to be wanting or feeling lack is another way of expressing the idea of contentment. (This is not saying that we should have no ambitions in life or that we should just be waiting to see what happens next.) True contentment-the kind that is not dependent upon circumstances-comes only from God, yet it is something we learn in Him as we grow in Him and increase in the knowledge of Him. Contentment is a matter of trust; if we believe that God is our Father, that He is our provider, that He is ruling and reigning, and that He allows circumstances to be as they are, we experience contentment. To clarify; if for example, I know that I have a leak in the roof of my house, I will have and should have a sense of ‘discontentment’ until I get the leak repaired-that is not what Paul is talking about. Paul is talking about the circumstances that are beyond our control; it is in those circumstances that we must lean contentment. Paul had learned contentment-but he also learned the secret-the secret of being filled and going hungry, and having abundance and suffering need. It is amazing, but Paul had contentment whether being hungry or being filled, or having abundance or having need. It is interesting that Paul did not have the goal of always having material increase; there were times when he had more, and times when he had less. We tend to think that our income and our possessions should be steadily increasing with time; if our income decreases, we may panic. You could say that Paul was content to live a roller-coaster life; sometimes he had abundance, and sometime he was needy. It is not only about the material part of life; our health, our relationships, and our natural environment are areas in which we must also learn contentment. Contentment that is not based our circumstances comes only from knowing God in a personal and intimate way and from walking according to His ways, and from dying to ourselves and living for Him. It is a great discovery for us when we learn as Paul did that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us-no matter the circumstances. No longer are we subject to our circumstances; no longer is contentment like the illusive butterfly; God enables us to be at peace and experience contentment no matte our circumstances. We can learn to be content, and we can learn the secret of being filled and going hungry, and of having abundance and suffering need. Our God is able!
Mathew 6:31-33 “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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