Philippians 4:10-13: Christian Contentment
Apparently, people in the UK are becoming happier: earlier this year we rose four place to the rank of 15th happiest country in the world, out of 156.
But happiness isn’t the same as contentment. True contentment is not about holidays or money or possessions; in fact, if you speak to those who have the most, by the world’s standards, they’ll often say they just want more, or that whatever they have doesn’t make them truly happy. We need contentment, not just happiness. So, what’s the secret?
Paul says that contentment starts with gratitude. For the remainder of this letter, Paul is expressing his profound gratitude for all that the Philippians have done for him during his imprisonment (see verses 10, 14, 18). Believers, saved by God’s grace through Christ, always have something to be thankful for. Christians should be the most grateful people – and gratitude leads to contentment.
Paul also says that contentment is something to learn (see verse 12). There were times in Paul’s life when things didn’t go the way he’d hoped they would – to put it mildly (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-27). Paul had learned how to be content in both “abundance and need”. Notice, by the way, there is such a thing as being content whilst having “an abundance”. More and more money will not lead to more and more happiness; contentment is needed whether we are princes or paupers.
Lastly, Paul says that to be content requires supernatural power. He says in verse 13: “I can do all [these] things through him who strengthens me”. Paul is speaking about Jesus, our mighty King. He’s not saying that Jesus will take all the obstacles out of our lives; he’s saying that Jesus empowers us to content in all circumstances, whether pleasant or painful. We can grieve through him who strengthens us; we can go to the mission field, we can cope with unemployment, get married, go to prison, lead a Bible study, all through the power that Jesus Christ provides. He will never leave us nor forsake us. In that, we can rest content.
Questions
- Why do we often feel a lack of contentment?
- Where in your life do you need to ask for Christ, who strengthens you, to give you help?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God will teach you contentment.
- Give thanks for the power Christ provides for all the circumstances of life.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.