Contentment

Philippians 4:11-13 (Amplified Bible)

“Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.

I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.”

Once I began to absorb and obey these passages of Scripture, my life changed tremendously. Contentment is foreign to most people’s vocabulary. Without Christ at the center of our lives and heart, a very empty chasm exists. Therefore, people search and seek for anything to satisfy and fill that empty chasm. Unfortunately, nothing will ever satisfy the soul and heart of emptiness until Christ is invited to dwell in our hearts.

Even as a young Christian, I must admit that I did not live a life filled with contentment. As I grew and matured in my Christian walk, contentment began to fill my heart and soul. And I must admit to you that bringing my heart under the umbrella of contentment has been life changing. As this Scripture indicates, we must find our contentment in Christ – not from how much money we have or don’t have; by what health challenges we have or don’t have; or any other circumstances. Why? Because everything in this life is temporary – good times will transition into not-so-good times; good days will be replaced by difficult days – yet we must remain stable and fixed and content through it all. When we grasp contentment and strive to live in a contented state every day of our lives, no matter what happens, happiness and peace thrive. Seeking contentment has been one of my solutions to remaining mentally and emotionally intact through a 14 year cancer battle. I refuse to be discontented “just” because I have leukemia.

This Amplified version of this passage defines contentment as “satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted”. As we prepare to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, let us reflect on our past day or week and make a list of the times that our spirit was “disturbed or disquieted”. Now let us ask God to forgive our fleshly trek from contentment and ask the Holy Spirit to restore contentment and peace to our lives. God is not a God of discontentment. When we find ourselves beginning to stray from a contented state of mind, we must look closely to find where Satan is tempting and taunting and attempting to steal from us or destroy our lives (John 10:10). Stand firm. Resist the devil and he WILL flea (James 4:7).

God sacrificed far too much for us – his Son hanging on a cross for the sins of the world – for us to cave into disobedience, discontentment, and despair. And for those issues and problems that tend to tell us that they are impossible to overcome – focus on the last words of this passage of Scripture: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.” With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives – God with us – we are truly prepared for every life challenge. Contentment, rule and reign in our hearts and lives. AMEN.