I Can Do All Things

Finding contentment is not easy

I remember a conversation with someone that first experienced counseling during college

College, like many new phases of life, is often exciting and full of new posibilities

But once you get into the swing of things and the excitement wears off, it can feel like a let down

This doesn’t just happen entering college

It happens with:

new jobs

marriages

car or house purchases

even vacations

There’s often this disconnect between our expectations and reality

When we have experiences that don’t live up to our expectation, anxiety, depression and discontentment often follow

Today Paul continues talking about proper thinking

He told taught us how to overcome anxiety

Then he helped us learn how to think, what to focus on

Now he leads us to a third example of healthy emotional health; contentment

Paul has had good times and bad times

discontentment is common to everyone

discontentment is common amongst the downtrodden

Those who do not have enough to provide for everyday needs

But it’s also fairly common amongst the middle class and even the elites

The desire to have what our neighbor has, or live the life the influencer lives creates unrealistic expectations

Proverbs 5:10 “10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,”

Paul’s life experiences offer a unique perspective upon contentment

Paul has been on all sides of life

He was wealthy, prestigious and respected

V10-12

brought low and abound (reputation)

In plenty and hunger (material/financial)

We Can Handle Any Situation

When Paul says “I can do all things” he is not talking about being successful

His is talking about handling both success and failure

He is talking about having and not having

Proverbs 15:16–17 “16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.”

Some things to know about contentment

Discontentment is a threat to your Christian walk

1 Timothy 6:6–10 “6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Contentment is a Driver of our Love for each other

Hebrews 13:1–5 “1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

If we are content with what we have and where we are, it frees us to love each other

If we are content in our marriage, it allows us to love our spouse and protect our marriage oath

Contentment has less to do with what you have and more to do with how your respond

Contentment isn’t about what happens to you, it’s about how you react to what happens to you

Contentment Can Be Learned

It doesn’t come naturally

It starts by changing the way you think

Thinking positively, about the blessings you have

Being thankful

Being Christ focused

Sometimes our struggles are to teach us to be content

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 “7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Contentment Is Rooted in the Soverignty of God

Hebrews 13:5–6 “5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?””