The Secrets for Contentment

Philippians 4:10-13

An airline pilot was flying over the Tennessee mountains and pointed out a lake to his copilot. “See that little lake?” he said. “When I was a kid I used to sit in a rowboat down there, fishing. Every time a plane would fly overhead, I’d look up and wish I was

flying it. Now I look down and wish I was in a rowboat, fishing.”

Contentment is often and an elusive pursuit. We go after what we think will make us happy only to find that it didn’t work.

It’s like the story of two teardrops floating down the river of life. One teardrop said to the

other, “Who are you?”

“I’m a teardrop from a girl who loved a

man and lost him. Who are you?”

“I’m a teardrop from the girl who got him.”

The lack of contentment that marks our nation is reflected in many ways. We see it in our high rate of consumer debt. We aren’t content to live within our means, so we go into debt to live just a bit better than we can afford, but then we suffer anxiety from the pressure of paying all our bills.

The advertising industry tries to convince us that we can’t possibly be happy unless we have

their product, and we often take the bait, only to find that we own one more thing to break down or one more time consuming piece of equipment to add more pressure to an already overloaded schedule.

Our discontent is reflected in our high rate of mobility. People rarely stay at the same address for more than five years. We’re always on the move, looking for a better house, a better job, a better

place to live and raise a family, a better place to retire. Some of the moves are demanded by the need for decent jobs. But some of it is fueled by a gnawing discontent that we think will be satisfied when

we find the right living situation. But we never quite get there.

Our discontent rears its head in the many divorces that occur daily. We can’t find happiness in our marriages, so we trade our mates in for

a different model, only to find that the same problems reoccur.

In Philippians 4:10-13, a man who sits in prison because of corrupt officials awaiting possible execution over false charges tells us how to find contentment. The answer lies buried in the midst of

a thank-you note. The Philippian church had sent a financial gift to Paul the prisoner. He wants to express his heartfelt thanks, but at the same time he doesn’t want to give the impression that the Lord

was not sufficient for his every need.

So he combines his thanks with this valuable lesson on the secret for contentment.

WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?

Contentment is a Biblical word. In fact, the Bible has quite a bit to say about this matter of being content. Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6, "Godliness with contentment is great gain," and then in verse 8 he said, "And having food and clothing, let us be content." The writer of Hebrews in chapter 13 verse 5 says, "Be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Contentment is a virtue; contentment is a command.

Contentment is a marvelous word. It means to be satisfied and to have enough. The term actually indicates a certain independence, a certain lack of necessity for aid or help.

The word "content," by the way, is the same word in 2 Corinthians 9:8 translated “sufficiency.” I'm sufficient, I'm self-contained, I have no needs that aren't met. He's not denying difficulty. He's not denying hard circumstances. He is simply content

Notice in verse 12 he says, in the middle of the verse, "I have learned.” Paul says he has learned the secrets of living a contented life.

Let's consider our text and see if we can find the answer for contentment

I. CONTENTMENT IS FOUND IN LEARNING TO LIVE THE DETACHED LIFE

A certain passerby observed some poor children in a poor section of a certain city that were having a good time playing make believe by riding an old log in the yard. He said to them, "That's rather slow riding! Wouldn't you like a horse and buggy?"

One of the children answered, "Yes, sir! But we haven't any, so we are getting the most fun we can out of what we have."

In much the same way, Paul tells us that he was perfectly happy with where he was and what he had. He states that he had learned to be happy regardless of his state. Notice first of all:

A. The Circumstances Of His Life.

In verse 11 he speaks of his "state." The word speaks of circumstances. Paul was speaking of the circumstances of his life. What were the circumstances of Paul's life? In verse 12 Paul says, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound." In this statement we get an idea of the "state" or the circumstances of Paul's life. First, he speaks of the circumstances that were abasing. The word means, "to humble, to make low." The word was sometimes used to speak of a river in the time of drought. Paul was saying, "I know how to run low." Paul knew what it was to run low and be humbled by the circumstances of life. He knew what it was to live on the meager, live in the miserable, and live by the modest.

I remind you that when Paul wrote these words he was not in a Penthouse but a prison. He didn't have a servant waiting on him but a solider watching over him. If anybody knew what it was for the river to run low in a time of drought, it was Paul. He also speaks of circumstances that were abounding. The word "abound" speaks of the opposite of the word "abased." It speaks of a river overflowing. The river had not always run low in Paul's life. There had been times when it had overflowed the banks. Before he was saved, Paul had experienced the finest things in life. As a child, he probably had anything he wanted. As a student, he had been educated under Gamaliel, which was then a very expensive education. He would have to have had substantial means to be able to attain this kind of education. As an adult, he was a Pharisee with all the pomp and prestige that went along with that position. Paul had been on the top, and he had been on the bottom. He had known both prosperity and poverty.. He had known, in his own words, circumstances that were abasing and abounding.

B. The Contentment of His Life.

Paul declared in verse 11, "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Paul was saying that no matter his circumstances, he was content.

How true is the proverb, “A contented mind is a continual feast!”

There was a cartoon that I found rather funny but true. It pictured two fields divided by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of green and lush grass. In each field there was a mule with his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule's pasture. At the bottom of the cartoon was one word--DISCONTENT.

Many believers are like those two mules. They are always looking for greener pastures. They are never content, never satisfied, and never happy.

In a cemetery in England there is a

grave marker with the inscription, "SHE DIED FROM WANT OF THINGS." Next to the marker is another marker that reads, "HE DIED TRYING TO GIVE THEM TO HER." Listen to 1 Timothy 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content." A person is indeed wealthy if he has learned to be content in whatsoever state. It is indeed a great gain. Paul was a wealthy man.
Paul was independent of his external circumstances. When Paul declared that he was content he was saying that he had learned to live in complete detachment from the circumstances of his life. His happiness, joy, and contentment did not depend on what was going on around him, but Who was living within him.

H.A. Ironside told of a Christian that asked another Christian how he was getting along. His friend dolefully replied, "Oh, fairly well, under the circumstances."

The other replied, "I am sorry that you are living under the circumstances. The Lord would have us living above the circumstances."

Paul was content because he had learned to live a DETACHED life.

II. CONTENTMENT IS FOUND IN LEARNING TO LIVE A DEPENDENT LIFE

In verse 10 we read, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”

Paul describes the secret of being content in every situation as one of being dependent on the Lord. Notice:

A. The Allowance Of Circumstances By God

The Apostle Paul had a patient confidence in God's sovereign providence. You see that all through is life.

Their lacking of opportunity was under God’s control. He knew it was all in God's hands, and if God gave the opportunity then they would have sent what he needed.

There was no panic in heart

The reason Paul was content was because he knew that the times and the seasons and the opportunities of life were under God’s control.

Key to this matter of contentment is understanding that everything, major and minor, is under God’s sovereignty.

Paul knew that the God whom he loved was ordering all the events of life.

This is foundational to contentment.

If I believe that God is sovereign, and He is, if I believe that God orders all circumstances to accomplish His own holy purpose, then I can be content in anything because everything is under control.

Paul was fully confident that God was in charge. And as long as God was in charge and God was ordering everything for His own purposes, everything was going to be fine. So he was content.

Beloved, let me tell you, this is where contentment starts. You will never know a contented heart until you believe that a sovereign God is ordering everything for your good and His glory.

Paul was aware that all that had happened in his life had been appointed by God.

As Christians we often forget that in the Christian life there are no accidents, but only appointments.

Every time I see a discontent person, my first reaction is to give them a lesson on the sovereignty of God.

B. The Acceptance Of Circumstances From God

Paul didn't wrestle with what happened in his life or struggle with the “why” of the circumstances of life. He accepted them as part of God's work and will in his life.

It is when we with a trustful and restful heart accept the circumstances of life as that which God has allowed, that we can truly be content.

We can look up to heaven with the assurance that nothing comes our way that has not been allowed and approved of God. Paul learned contentment when he came to regard all things as from the hand of God.

III. CONTENTMENT IS FOUND IN LEARNING TO LIVE A DYNAMIC LIFE

Someone might say, "I'm not sure that I am able to accept all that happens in life with contentment?" Notice what Paul says in verse 13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Notice carefully what Paul was saying. First, we see:

A. The Assurance Upon Which I Can Rest

I have God’s Word that He is more than enough.

Paul was sustained by a divine promise.

How can we ever be discontented with a promise like verse 19 before us

B. The Assistance Upon Which I Can Rely

Paul was sustained by a divine power

Paul’s contentment came because he was attached to the power source.

Our contentment will only come when you are plugged in to that power source.

When you're connected to the power source you can be content through any difficulty or any deprivation.

The word "strengtheneth" means, "to

enable."

We can face whatever life may

bring with contentment by the power of a living Christ.

I don’t know which is more

difficult—to have too little or too much; but I do know that I have strength to handle each situation.

See Hebrews 13:5,6

Paul tells us that we can be content in all things because Christ is our strength.

Conclusion:

Beloved, if you're struggling with discontent it could be because you are not living the detached life, the dependent life, and the dynamic life.

A discontented Christian is a poor testimony to the sufficiency of Christ..

A man bought a ticket for a boat ride across the Atlantic. He supplied himself with food he thought would be sufficient for the entire trip, but after a few days it was all gone. As he smelled the odor of the cooking food and saw other passengers going to their meals, he became more and more hungry. Finally he asked if there was some way he could get some food from the dining room.

He was asked to show his ticket, and he was told that his ticket included all meals and that he could go in and help himself.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior and are born into God's family, God says you are mine and all that He has and is at ours.

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