Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:11-12
LET IT GLOW
Ah, supper is over, dishes are done, laundry put away, all is quiet. Time to relax from the day of work and prop my feet up, read or watch tv with a glass of ice tea or Dr. Pepper. Content. Then I wake up. Those times were rare when the baby birds (kids) were home and growing up. Maybe when they were asleep.
Was I content with life? No. There was always a problem at home, a problem at work, a problem at church, and the list goes on. Always something needed to be done or solved. You see, back then, my contentment or lack of, came from my circumstances, not within. It came from things, not Jesus.
Grass is always greener on the other side for the cow, so she pokes her head through the fence to eat there instead of being content with grass in the field. When my focus gets on things and not Jesus, I tend to be envious, lusting, jealous. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy the longings of my heart. This I have learned through the years of living and experience.
Content. How was Paul able to be content? He was in chains, in prison, in want and in hunger.
He learned through experiences, long and hard ones. Paul's joy was not dependent on outward circumstances, but on the indwelling Christ. Paul's joy bubbled from within, not from without. (Liberty Bible Commentary)
Contentment is learned, not natural to mankind. (David Guzik)
Now I know I can get some contentment, even though it doesn't come natural to me. Are you with me? Keep reading, friend.
What is content?
King James Dictionary defines content as quiet, not disturbed, having a mind at peace, satisfied; rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.
Rest of mind in the present condition. Well, I suppose that means I need to accept what's going on in my life right now. Hummm.
Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic since 1967, says this:The apostle Paul says that he has learned the secret of remaining content despite either plenty or poverty. What was the secret Paul had learned? He gave it away in his next beath when he said that he was ready for anything through the strength of the One who lived inside him. Contentment is found not in circumstances. Contentment is found in a Person, the Lord Jesus.
Joni is a gal who has found contentment while living in a wheelchair all her adult life. She uses it to minister to others and to share the Lord. It shames me. I can walk and use my hands, but am I content?
David Ring is an evangelist whose speech is hard to understand and has a hard time walking, yet witnesses for his Lord Jesus. He asks his crowd of listeners, "I have celebral palsy. What's your excuss?" Again I am shamed. I can speak clearly, what is my excuss for not? He found contentment in spite of his body's limitations. Do I?
"Paul was totally dependent upon God. His satisfaction and sufficiency were in Christ (2Cor.12:9)," states Liberty Bible Commentary.
Am I totally dependent, satisfied in Christ? Is my sufficiency from Him?
What does the Scripture say about being content?
Luke 3:14b states,"Be content with your wages."
1 Timothy 6:8 tells us, "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."
Hebrews 13:5b reminds us, "Be content with such things as ye have."
1 Timothy 6:6 instructs us, But godliness with contentment is great gain."
There's the answers I found, folks. Contentment is found in Christ. I'm to be content, rest my mind, with my wages, food, clothes, things, circumstances, and strive for godliness. Whew! That calls for a tall glass of tea, but my special diet says no, so water will do. but you go ahead and have one. Content in Christ.
LET IT GROW
There have only been a few times in my life, thank the Lord, that I have been hungry and no food was available. I remember the helpless feeling. One time was when my husband sold cookware in the first few months of our marriage. We lived in the southern part of the state, away from our parents. We were waiting on a paycheck to come. It was our only source of income. It did not arrive, so I couldn't go to the grocery store. Several nights I ate cooked cabbage, peas and carrots as leftovers from my hubby's 7 course meal he cooked for prospective customers. Needless to say, I'm not fond of cooked cabbage today.
I really wasn't destitute, was I? But I was hungry. (The rest of the story is I was pregnant and the smell of cabbage made me throw up.) We didn't stay at that job very long.
My conclusion is that as a result of Paul's being content in Christ, he was then able to live in any and every circumstance with joy, gratitude, and peace. After all, he wasn't alone, was he?
Let's look at verse 12. First, Paul knows how to be abased and to abound.
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says abased means to humble or abase myself, by frugal living and abound means to exceed a fixed number or measure; to be over and above a certain number or measure.
Webster's Thesaurus describes abased as being made humble, reduced, made lower and abound as being filled, overflowing.
Paul has learned to be humble, having very little, facing poverty and also how to live with overflowing abundance, having more than enough, facing prosperity. (Liberty Bible Commentary)
Look back at verse 12 again-Paul learned how to live humble in poverty and overflowing in prosperity every where and in all things. (I want to insert Romans 15:13 NIV here: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow." (emphasis added)
It takes me back to being "content in Christ." When I am content, Christ's love, hope, joy, and peace overflows in and through me. Am I letting it?
Paul learned what he said in 1 Thessalonians 5:18-In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
My situation is God's will for my life, so I am to give thanks while I'm in it. After all, His grace is sufficient.
The last part of verse 12 states I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
What does Paul mean that he was instructed?
Thayer's Lexicon says this about instructed: to every condition and to all the several circumstances of life have I become wonted; I have been so disciplined by experience that whatsoever be my lot I can endure. (emphasis added)
The phase of a song came into my mind-Whatever my lot, Thou hast caused me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul. (thus the title of the song)
Beck's version uses the words eating heartily and being hungry, having too much and too little.
Overflow. Am I allowing the love of Christ overflow in me to others? Or am I so focused on making sure I am not hungry or suffering that it isn't overflowing? Then my cup isn't full of thanksgiving, praise to the Lord.
"Overflowing"
How glorious it would be
That others could see
My cup overflows with Jesus in me.
Come sit with me today, Lord,
Come speak to my heart,
You know I am lonely and in part.
Then He does
And my cup overflows with my Jesus beside me.
Rejoice, trust, lean on Me,
my Savior whispers to this heart in need.
And my cup overflows because Jesus loves me.
I'm scared, what's next?
Just take one step at a time.
Here's My Hand, take it, you'll be fine.
My cup overflows with Jesus leading me.
The unknowns are a heavy load,
his strong Hand keeps me from stumbling in the road.
My cup overflows with Jesus carrying my load.
Together we'll walk this road of unknowns,
with rocks, ruts, hills, and curves that twist and turn.
But here is one thing that I have learned
My cup overflows with Jesus holding me.
One more thing. (Thanks for sticking with me, friend.)
In his book, Paul: a Man of Grace and Grit, Charles Swindoll says this:Regardless of his station in life, Paul lived above his circumstances. I'm convinced that's what allowed God to use the man so effectively. That's what made his impact heroic. Though his circumstances were often extreme, the man's attitude remained virtually bulletproof. Contentment results from an attitude that is learned, having been deliberately cultivated over time. Attitude governs contentment. Paul's contentment came from Christ, and His grace flowed from him through the barracks of Rome. His attitudes were unselfish humility, joyful acceptance, strong determination, genuine thanksgiving. Here's a man in his sixties. He had learned to be content in all things. Are you making a difference in the lives of those closest to you by the way you respond to your circumstances?
LET IT GO
Learn to be content.
Be content in Christ.
Let the love of Christ overflow in me to others.
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