The Secret of Being Content

The Secret Of Being Content Philippians 4:10–20 (NIV) 10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this [being content in any and every situation] through Him [Christ] who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Lent is a time when people give things up. We are not from a tradition that observe Lent. The mean reason for this is that we believe that we’re not only supposed to give things up for 40 days before Easter. No, we believe that Christians are giving things up for the rest of their lives once they’ve accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Consequently, when I consider to give something up during Lent, I want it to come from a heart that truly wants to glorify God every day of my life for the rest of my life and not only for 40 days during Lent. I want the concept of this sacrifice to be something that magnifies my view that the resurrection season impacts every day of my life, and that therefore the whole of my life should reflect this sacrifice. So, what do I think I should concentrate on growing more in my life? I think emptying myself of being discontent, and learning the secret of becoming content in any and every situation. Negatively speaking I believe we should never be discontent. Positively speaking I believe that we should always be content. Yet, so often we are not. Like Paul reminds us in Romans: “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Romans 7:18–19 (NIV) In 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV) we are reminded that godliness with contentment is great gain. Therefore, I will concentrate on being truly content with the way God made me in order to grow the habit of continual contentment. I want to learn how be content for the rest of my life with who I am. I want to learn to be content every day of my life. I want to be content even though I am as flawed as Paul stated in Romans 1:18-19. Yet, I want to content every day for the rest of my life because I know that God is with me always and He will not leave me no matter what like Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20. But I can be content? Will God always help me to learn and grow so that I can be content continually? Is it possible to be content with God and with who God designed me to be? Can I find delight in celebrating Jesus because His resurrection magnifies the truth that He died so that I could have a full and abundant life? Friends, it is in this context that I share our Scripture reading with you. It is in this context that I want to highlight verse 13 “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” I know that Paul’s bold declaration in Philippians 4:13 is one of the most commonly quoted passages in the New Testament. We find the verse on everything—from clothing to tattoos. The best example I have is the logo on the Fijian Rugby Jerseys. But before we consider what this verse means I’d like you to consider something else that we need to understand before we ponder the meaning of verse 13. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament that are often translated as need. We find all three these words in our passage. However, there is an important distinction between them and Paul relies in this passage that we know the difference. The first word [husterēsis] is used in 4:11 and 12 and refers to the concepts of lack or shortage. It is translated once as “in need” and the other time as “in want” and refers to a quantifiable/measurable shortage and not to the total absence of something. E.g. the poor widow with the 2 copper coins that we read about in Matthew 12:42-44. She was poor, but in her poverty she still het some coins The second word [tapeinoō] is used in 4:12 where he said: “I know what it is to be in need.” But this word is best translated as “to be made humble” or “made lower”. In other words, Paul is telling us: “I know how to live in humble circumstances, like those of lowly or insignificant status, and what it is to have more than enough.” The third word [chreia], that is translated as “need” in 4:19, is generally something that is not measurable; you either have it or you don’t have it. Why are these distinctions important? It is important because it enables us to understand that when Paul talks about learning to be content in 4:11, he is talking about a lack or a quantifiable shortage or being made lower in status or humbled. However, when he talks about God meeting our needs in 4:19, he is referring to that non-measurable requirements that is necessary, that we just must have to fulfil a specific task – the basic things needed to accomplish a given task. So, we can argue that the first word, the lack/shortage word, refers to something that is desired, but not necessarily required. The second word refers to something that happens to us that lowers our status. And the third word most often refers to things that we lack but which are necessary or required to fulfil a specific task. In our passage Paul explains that he is willing to accept whatever Christ gives him. He understands that scarcity, poverty, being humbled, being made less important, is part and parcel to Christian discipleship. But he also understands that God will supply us with what we need to fulfil the tasks that God has placed before us. This is the reason why Paul can say: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” He knows that God will supply what is required to fulfil his calling. We often assume that Paul’s statement promises that we can accomplish any task in our lives because Christ will strengthen us in everything. We often use this verse to comfort ourselves and others when we experience difficult circumstances. Now I can say to you that the Bible indeed uphold God’s ability to do anything He pleases. The following 4 verses confirms this: • Job 42:2 (NIV) 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted”. • Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV) 17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” • Matthew 19:26 (NIV) 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” • Mark 9:23 (NIV) 23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” But friends the truth that these 4 verses testify to is not Paul’s point in Philippians 4:13. Paul has learned an important lesson: Being content is not dependent on having all that you want, but on being thankful and satisfied with what you have, because you know that God will supply you will all that you need to fulfil your calling. I’m even willing to add to that: And nothing more or nothing less. This is why the main idea of this passage is contentment. Why am I sure that I’m right? Because this is what the context reveals to us. If we look at the surrounding context of this passage, we find that Paul’s primary concern is the Philippian church’s financial support of his ministry. Philippians 4:13 is part of a side note to his main point. In 4:10, Paul begins to thank the Philippians for their financial contribution to his ministry; he resumes his thanksgiving in 4:14–20. In between those sections, in 4:11–13, Paul pauses to tell his readers that he was already content before they gave him a single denarius. Because he knows what he has received in Jesus. On a first read these verses seem odd in this context. But when you read and reread it repeatedly it starts to make sense. I used to think Paul was rather disrespectful by implying that the Philippians’ support was unappreciated or unnecessary. Or perhaps Paul was downplaying the gift, to avoid creating the impression that the Philippians were his financial sponsors. But both of these explanations fail to explain why Paul lets us see into his heart in these verses. It seems that Paul’s motivation lies elsewhere. I think we grasp the meaning of Philippians 4:13 by reading the verse as the conclusion to the detour in 4:11–13. In this brief section, Paul tells the Philippians that he has figured out the key to being content in the Christian life, though he does not immediately reveal it. He first states that his contentment does not depend on his present situation. He can be content whether he is full or hungry, rich or poor (4:11–12). Earlier in the letter to the Philippians, Paul gives an example of a time during his imprisonment when he was in need (Philippians 1:12–26). This aligns with what he stated in 1 Corinthians 4:11–13 (NIV): “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.” Why? Because he knows what he has received in Christ Jesus. This is the reason why he argues according to 2 Corinthians 6:4–10 (NIV) “…as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” He later describes how the Philippians’ gift “filled” him up; he even speaks of their financial contribution as a “fragrant offering” and a sacrifice to God (4:18). While Paul recognizes the highs (financial abundance) and lows (imprisonment) in his life, he does not find his contentment from them. According to Paul, the source of his contentment runs much deeper - “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (4:13). Thus Philippians 4:13 both concludes Paul’s detour and offers the key to Christian contentment: Christ himself. For Paul, to be content is to know Christ and be strengthened by him. He declares, “to live is Christ” and explains that everything else is meaningless in comparison to knowing Christ. This is his testimony in Philippians 1:21 (NIV) “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” And Philippians 3:7–9 (NIV) “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” Paul wants us to understand that we do not press on in our faith because circumstances are positive or opportune, but because Christ Jesus made us his own. Listen to his argument in Philippians 3:12 (NIV) “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” According to Galatians 4:9 (NIV) Paul struggled to understand how people could who came to know God and who understand that God knows them inside out can fall away from God: “But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?” The contentment of knowing Christ brings joy, a theme Paul returns to more than 16 times in this short letter. Contentment in Christ also gives believers a peace that passes all understanding as he so succinctly stated in Philippians 4:7 (NIV) “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Does this verse promise that Christians can do anything they want? No. What God promises is that we can do everything He wants us to do. Philippians 4:13 does not promise that God will empower us in everything we wish to accomplish. It assumes that we, like Paul, will experience both success and failure, both prosperity and great need. Nevertheless, this verse applies to us today and has implications for life beyond finances. Understood and interpreted in context it reminds us that we can have true contentment in Christ because we need only Christ to be satisfied. The Reformers had it right when they coined the concept of Christ Alone! What we need is only Christ and Christ alone! If we understand this “secret,” we are immune to the ups and downs of life. Philippians 4:13 is not a promise of future success, but reminds us of the present sufficiency in Christ. For this reason, we can say that Philippians 4:13 is indeed one of the most powerful verses in the Bible. and we could indeed turn to this verse for encouragement when life’s ever-changing circumstances bring stress and uncertainty. Paul’s words should remind us of the gift of Christ’s presence and strength whether we are in need or abundance. May we learn this truth—just as Paul did (Philippians 4:11–12)—and be empowered by Christ to face all circumstances. In closing consider with me once more the meaning of Philippians 4:19. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. You may have encountered some frustration during your life when you considered this verse. “What about this need, or that need that I have had for years? Doesn’t God care about that aching hole in my heart? Why doesn’t He just meet my need?” At the beginning of this sermon I explained that when Paul talks about God meeting our needs in 4:19, he used the Greek word that refers to non-measurable requirements that is necessary, that we just must have to fulfil a specific task – the basic things needed to accomplish a given task. He is saying that in Jesus ALL our needs are met, because Jesus is the only requirement we need. In every possible circumstance, Paul could truly be content because he did not let outward circumstances determine his attitude. What he had in Jesus Christ was giving him the strength to continue with his ministry and the work of spreading the gospel whether he had plenty or was in need. So, the key to it all is to be in Christ Jesus. He mediates to us all the benefits and blessings of God. More than that, he is himself the sum of all the blessings, for the preposition is not ‘through’ but ‘in’. He is not a channel along which they flow, but a place in which they are deposited. It is because of Christ that Paul is contented, and it is Christ whom he offers to us as the means and guarantee of our contentment. For Paul, the person who possesses Christ possesses all. Contentment is something we learn. The expression “I have learned” (4:11) stresses the personal pronoun, as though Paul was also enquiring whether the Philippians and we ourselves shared his experience; ‘I have learned (have you?).’ You see, too often in our state of discontentment [unhappiness, anger, dissatisfaction] we are searching for other things to meet our needs – money, gratification, comfort, success, peace of mind, acknowledgement, status, etc. And when God doesn’t give these things to us, we are disheartened and discontent. So often then, we try to figure out why God hadn’t responded or attempt to meet the need yourself. Sometimes we may even have felt faithless and thought that God did not hear us because of this “weakness” or a lack of consistent prayer. Deep inside, we know that only God can fill our need—which further frustrates matters and reveals our complete lack of control. We cannot successfully meet our own need or compel God to comply with our personal desires, time schedule, or concept of how it should be accomplished. What should we do? Here’s some good news—that is exactly the position God wants us to be in. No, God does not enjoy our pain or take delight in seeing us suffer or confused. He is a God of infinite love, gentleness, and compassion. Nothing He does (or does not do) comes from spite; even His discipline is perfectly administered out of love (Hebrews 12:4–11). His purpose in allowing a delay to meet our need is to strengthen our faith and reliance on Him, and consequently to wean us of self-sufficiency. He is doing this so that, like Paul, we can learn to be content. In a very real sense, our unmet need is a form of trial and temptation. It’s a trial because its lack of fulfillment can feel truly painful, and it’s a temptation because it urges you to turn away from God to meet your own needs. But is God’s way to teach us contentment. In James 1:12 (NIV) we are told: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” So, what should we do when the delay goes on, the pressure to give up increases, and we feel weary of beating ourselves up with false guilt? It may sound like a cliché, but the answer still is: Keep your eyes on the Lord and follow Him, no matter what. This is who we learn “the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV) Listen with me to James again: “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 (NIV) Paul learned to be content because he could see life from God’s point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have. Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him. Are you content in any circumstances you face? Paul knew how to be content whether he had plenty or whether he was in need. The secret meant drawing on Christ’s power for strength. Therefore, may we learn to grow contentment that able us to take pleasure in whatever God brings into our lives. May this contentment foster the conviction that our heavenly Father is not only working all things for His glory, but also for our ultimate good. May this cause us to remember that God has given us many wonderful and precious promises that give us hope and encouragement. May this cause us to see the glorious future that awaits those whose faith and confidence are in the Lord. Amen.