Philippians 4:10-13, 19
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, 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 this through him who gives me strength.
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
These verses find Paul in a jail cell in Rome and as he is writing to his friends in Philippi, he is thanking them for taking care of him and financing his care- even though it is difficult to get supplies to him. Paul takes time to thank them and help them see that he has tapped into lifestyle of contentment that is not from his circumstances but rather from God’s presence.
Learning to be Content
As I read these verses, it is very encouraging to me that even Paul had to learn the skill of being content. Sometimes I feel so inadequate in my ability to trust that God will provide and protect me. So, reading that Paul had to learn how to be content in his circumstances gives me hope that I can also learn.
Most of the time, I find that it is easier to be content when I have plenty. Like it is much harder to be content when I have unexpected bills that arrive in the mail or when I don’t get invited to a party for a friend. But even when all the things that I want line up, I can still have trouble being content. I get stuck in the rat race of life and move on to the next bigger and better thing that I can put onto my goal or dream list.
Paul is saying that he has learned the secret to be content in EVERY circumstance, whether well-fed or hungry. I don't know hunger like what he's talking about, like hunger without any food around at all. Though I do not know that level of dispair, it does sound really great to not be knocked around by the waves of life- the ups and downs that come with being a person in this world.
So, let’s try to figure out what he's learned, right?
Through God’s Strength
“I can do that through Christ who strengthens me.” (verse 13)
I have been in church my whole life and heard so many people misapply this passage of scripture. It has been used it as a sort of a catch-all phrase; repeating that we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us. But really, anything? That cannot be so.
We all have gifts from the Lord, and we all have limits in our human bodies. It isn’t fair to say to someone (or myself) that they just need to believe more or try harder to achieve a goal that they may not actually be capable to accomplish. That is a lot of pressure!
Please understand, Christ can help you do a lot of things, and through Christ (who strengthens you) you. can do amazing things and even things more than you think. But let’s remember to put this memory verse in context and relate it specifically this to the two previous verses. To cherry-pick verse 13 out of the context is skipping over a very rich principle and gift that God has provided for us, the principle and joy of contentment.
Paul says, my God will meet all of your needs, and he's attaching it to the splendor of God and the long-term provision of God according to the riches in Christ Jesus (verse 19).
Not Complacency
Contentment is not the same as complacency.
I am the type of person who wants to move the ball down the field and make ideas come to life so I can get annoyed when I get stuck in a cycle of routine. It doesn’t feel like growth to me and growth has been framed as always good in my mind. So, I didn't think I wanted to be content, because I've confused that with complacency. My worry about contentment was just misplaced because I didn't define it correctly.
Let’s look at the definition of Contentment. Greek scholar, Joseph Henry Thayer said that the biblical definition of contentment is to be independent of external circumstances. How can I do that? I am impacted by external circumstances every day! That just feels like I am aiming into the sky, hoping to hit something that I can grasp.
Another scholar, Brown stated that contentment is the ability to be supplied by internal resources. That made much more sense to me… Contentment, as a Christian, doesn’t come from being independent and strong as a person but rather becoming dependent on God for my adequacy as a follower.
And the Apostle Paul is states that whether I'm in want or in abundance, I'm able to be supplied by internal resources. I'm not dependent on external circumstances. So, when you take that definition of contentment, we're not talking at all about complacency. We're talking contentment.
Aware of God’s Presence and Provision
I'm content in my circumstances, because he says, “I can do all things through Christ who's giving me the strength.” I'm aware of the presence of God and I'm alert to the purpose of God. In my circumstance, I'm aware that God is here with me. And yet, if we're aware that God is with us, walking with us, and God has a plan, God has a purpose, He has a big picture, and even when we do things that get outside of His plan and purpose, He has the ability to weave that back in so that once again, we're walking in His purpose.
I have made some bad choices in my life and have had to deal with bad consequences because choices always have consequences. And yet, when I look back at some of those choices, years later I can see how God wove my experiences back into the fabric of my life to do good. That didn't make those choices good. What that means is God has the ability to take even bad choices and fit them into His big plan for me and my life. Praise the Lord!
So, I can affirm that my contentment doesn't come from my circumstances. Because I tend to want to gauge my contentment on how happy I am with the way things are going and what's happening right now. But in spite of some bad circumstances and I can see His power at work, even in those circumstances. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
This is the provision of God is abundant. And my God will meet your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus! If you have something today, an unmet need, ask God for that.
As a warning for your expectations thought, understand God is a God of forever, and so he may not meet your needs in the next 15 minutes. He thinks in terms of forever. So be patient with this. Trust in the power and the provision of God that he can meet all of our needs.
I'm better than I used to be, by the grace of God, but not as good as I'm going to be by the grace of God. In whatever circumstance, God has said, I’ve got you, I'm there with you and I'll meet your needs, according to my riches.
Praise God!
