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As I sit here, this chilly February day, in my cozy home wrapped in a fuzzy blanket sipping a hot cup of tea and reading the last chapter in the book of Philippians, one would think that contentment would be the last thing on my mind. I live in America, have no immediate needs, a full refrigerator and clean drinking water await me in a clean kitchen, I have several quality friends, and yes, I live under a government that, though I disagree with morally and financially, still allows me religious freedom and the ability to have my own opinion which I can voice and will not be arrested for. Life is good.
Yet the question than arises, why work on contentment? Aren't you 100% fully satisfied? Unfortunately, no...I'm human, your human...discontentment runs rampant, even in the best of times. In Philippians, Paul is quick to remind us that in whatever situation we find ourselves, contentment must be learned. "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." ~ Philippians 4:11 Even Paul himself, a man who wrote God's divinely inspired word, had to go through the courses of learning contentment. I have found that no matter what place of life I am in, there is always a piece of my heart that is not leaning on my hope in Christ, but rather, is looking for something else to fulfill me. Whether it be a lack of contentment in my job, salary, health and allergies, my singleness, my body, or my discontentment in the leadership God has placed in my life...contentment is always being {{learned}}. Yes, {{learned}}.
Look back at Philippians 4:11, it is there that we see the word {{learned}} used in connection with contentment. At one point in time, I wrote down in my bible the following information, most likely given from some chapel speaker at The Master's College: "{{Learned.}} Greek form is mafano, which means continuously {{learned}}. It is not instantaneous. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, 'now there is great gain in godliness with contentment.' We must commit it to our mind. To be content without ______ I must {{learn}} to depend on the Lordship of Jesus Christ." ~ Unknown.
It is only through Christ that contentment can come. Though it may be a difficult path to travel, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. It is a continuous lesson...weather you be 9 or 99, there will always be something that dissatisfies you. So, {{learn}} with me now the ability to be seeking the face of Christ, kneeling before Him daily and thanking Him for the blessings He has already bestowed on you. The more I {{learn}} about contentment, the realization hits that contentment stems out of a heart of gratitude. Work on praying for those difficult relationships in your life, the stressful job, the desire to be married (or single, if your in a rough marriage), or the health issues you may be facing. If you don't already have a heart of thankfulness in some of these areas, the Lord will be faithful to place a gleaming spark of peace in your heart that will work itself out in contentment towards where He sovereignly has you and with whom He has you. In most of his letters, Paul begins with saying he is thankful to God in every prayer of his for the people, or for Christ Jesus who gave Himself for our sins, even to those he was correcting. May we learn from this. A heart that is willing to thank Christ is a heart that will be more content and able to minister to others for the sake of the gospel!
