Contentment? How? Who Me?
I heard a quote a while ago it said, “I have been rich and I have been poor, but believe me, rich is better”!
True! But rich is more an attitude to life than a state of financial well being.
Don’t get me wrong I have got nothing at all against money, in fact I would love to be filthy rich, I would love to have so much that I had to give it away constantly because I had nothing else that I could do with it – but we do live in this world and we do need to have some.
We need to learn to smell the roses along the way though and not just break our necks trying to get rich.
Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 said
11 …… for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. NIV
These are the key verses in Philippians “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
It’s easy to say “Oh Paul was a great apostle, so he could say things like that” but we need to look at where Paul was at, literally when he wrote Philippians – He was in jail awaiting trial.
He could easily have been complaining about the treatment of this GREAT MAN OF GOD that he was – but here we see Paul sending encouragement and instruction to the Philippian church and praying for them.
He is rejoicing over the spread of the gospel in spite of and because of HIS situation.
Paul must have been half expecting to die as a result of his trial because we read of Paul’s expressing his willingness to “depart and be with Christ” (1:23) or to continue in ministry – WHATEVER – it is up to God’s will.
Paul encourages the Philippians to be steadfast in the face of opposition and coming persecution. (1:27-30)
The world today seeks contentment in so many different ways, movies, sport, anything that will take our minds off our problems.
But Paul here tells us that the secret of happiness & contentment is found in Christ.
Let me ask you some questions, but don’t put your hands up – just answer them to yourself – HONESTLY!
- Who here has never complained about your situation or circumstances?
- Who has always been totally satisfied with what life has handed out to you?
- Who has got just a little bit CRANKY with God because now you’re a Christian we weren’t supposed to have any more problems?
How about James who says in chapter 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. NIV
How many people, not just Christians give up just that fraction of a second too early, just before victory.
The old saying goes “it’s always darkest just before the dawn” or something close to that.
A man called Sydney J. Harris (1917-1986) said
“A failure is not someone who has tried and failed; it is someone who has given up trying and resigned himself to failure; it is not a condition, but an attitude.”
I have tried and failed to achieve so many things in my life that I could easily say that “it’s all too hard, I’m giving up there is no point in even trying anymore” in actual fact I have said that to myself hundreds of times – but deep down I’m a real chicken – I keep on trying – why because I’m afraid – that’s right I’m afraid – I’m afraid that if I give up now victory will be just around the corner and if I give up now I will just miss it.
Paul says in Phil 3:12-14
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. NIV
I have heard of sad cases of men ( and women) – even recently, who have been lost in the bush, and died of thirst just metres from a plentiful supply of fresh water – why?
Well a couple of reasons in some cases;
- They gave up too early – they were close to victory and life
- They didn’t read the signs – normally when water is about in the bush, the signs a fairly evident –
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- greener trees growing close by,
- birds and animal life are more abundant,
- in the early morning and evening the animals will come to the water holes to drink
Sometimes when we are getting into difficulties we need to stop and reassess our situations, sometimes we need to take a big step back and look at our situation though God’s eyes – We read in Paul’s letters where he looks back over what he has done and uses his mistakes to give direction to others – he gains wisdom from his mistakes – that is the mark of a wise man.
By current standards of success, Jesus might be considered a failure. Let's look at how Jesus measured up to these standards:
- Was he popular? No. He was not well-liked. In fact, after one of his sermons, all of his followers deserted him, except for the Twelve Apostles.
- Did he have political power? No. He was a political failure. All levels of government first rejected him. Then they conspired to kill him.
- Did he have lots of friends? No. His friends often hurt him, eventually abandoned him, and one of them betrayed him to death.
- Did he have money and possessions? No. No house, no "wheels", no world headquarters, no Christian amusement park.
- Was he respected by his peers? No. His professional peers (Pharisees) rejected his work.
- Despite his apparent failure by these standards, Jesus Christ has changed the lives of millions of men and women across the centuries. How could he, in light of his failures? .
Because He was part of God’s plan for our salvation – just as you are part of God’s plan for someone else’s salvation.
Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah in Isa 53:2-10
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,and like a root out of dry ground.He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men,a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,yet we considered him stricken by God,smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,each of us has turned to his own way;and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,yet he did not open his mouth;he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth. 8By oppression and judgment he was taken away.And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living;for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,and with the rich in his death,though he had done no violence,nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,he will see his offspring and prolong his days,and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. NIV
Why do people drop out of society, or commit suicide – there are many reasons, loneliness and an obvious sense of worthlessness often brought on by continued failure – but the bottom line is they have decided they have fallen too far and too hard to get up just one more time. They are not content with where their life has been in the past, where their life is now, or what they see their life being in the future. They haven’t learned that contentment and happiness are a thing that comes from within, not from outside circumstances.
Paul AND Christ could have had the same complaints.
Paul’s own peers thought he was dangerous and that he’d gone loopy and they wanted to get rid of him, and the very people Christ came to save, rejected Him – imagine the pain & anguish they went through –BUT LOOK AT THE VICTORY.
CONCLUSION
Paul had learned to master the extremes of life. Whether he had plenty or little, whether he was full or hungry, he had attained contentment that comes from Christ whatever circumstances he found himself in.
When Paul wrote Philippians 4:13 he actually revealed his secret of happiness.
He had the sources of power that enabled him to meet and master any situation.
Often when the electricity has gone off, people realise that they have everything they need for power – the wiring, the switches, the transformers, bulbs, and appliances – everything except the source of power itself.
Paul shared with us the source of power: Jesus Christ. Jesus’ power is inexhaustible.
He constantly pours power into those who trust Him.
The secret of happiness & contentment isn’t found in what happens to us. - It is found in what has happened IN us – THE RENEWAL OF OUR LIVES THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST.
When we allow Jesus to DAILY replenish us, refill us, refire us, we have endless power pumping into our lives
When things are going rotten, we are feeling totally discontented with everything that life is throwing at us, and we feel that we just can’t do it anymore – pray to God and ask him for strength, and go back to Paul’s word’s in Philippians 4:11 – 13 for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
1 Tim 6:6-7
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. NIV
Ps Mike Pilkington
13/05/01 for Magnetic Island Community Church
