5-5-2019 More or Less Joy Philippians 4:10-13

Maybe we decide we deserve it. Maybe we’ve seen someone else with it, and envied it. Or, it’s been a rough week, and we know it will make us happy for a moment.

But then that moment fades. We get home, and that object we were so driven to buy no longer has the power to give us joy. Like a kid who plays more with the box than their new toy.

Then something new catches our eye, and with it we see a new opportunity to feel that moment of joy again.

WHY? BECAUSE JOY FROM POSSESSIONS IS FLEETING

Buying something is often an easy fix that proves unsustainable. Once the joy passes, the possessions remain. Possessions come with their own cost.

Most of us are DROWNING IN STUFF

If you combined all the self-storage facilities in the U.S., they would be almost the size of Las Vegas (83.3 square miles).

Not only do we feel the drive to buy new things, we have a hard time letting go of the old.

We feel driven to make more and more money to get the stuff we think we need.

Thinking about material things can be, and do become a distraction from the things that really matter.

It can also keep us from doing what God might be calling us to do in our lives. In fact, He warns us against this behavior.

Matthew 6:19-21

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We're currently in a series called, Make Space and it's all about discovering biblical principles to having and more space in our finances so we can live the lives God is calling us to.

It’s hard to make space if we are constantly bringing more into the room. One of the biggest ways we can make this sort of space in our lives is to learn how to limit the pull of "more."

Transition:

HOW MUCH STUFF DO WE really NEED?

“Do I need stuff to make me happy?” and “How much stuff do I NEED?”

Thinking through these questions is going to help us find gratitude. Gratitude and moderation will lead us to contentment.

This morning’s passage is what we, what I, need right now

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 4:10-12

Philippians 4:10–12 ESV

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

CONTENTMENT IS A LEARNED SKILL

Now, our culture doesn’t celebrate contentment.

We are taught our value comes from hard work, and impressing other people.

That life is about “me”. It’s very hard to think that our value might not come from what we can earn, how many hours we work, or how much stuff we have.

But when we look at verses like this, we see that God’s word values not the status of our lives, but the way we live.

Paul says that he's learned the secret of contentment.

Contentment isn't something you're born with. It's something that, with God's help, can be learned.

That's good news. That means we can all learn to be content too.

Transition:

So, how do you do that? Well, there are three choices we need to make to lean into contentment.

To Be Content, I Will...

I. Refuse to Trade Self for Stuff

Jesus once asked a very important question about our relationship to our stuff. He said...

Mark 8:36

Mark 8:36 ESV

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

HOW WE CAN LOSE OURSELVES IN POSSESSIONS

While we need certain needs met, there is a point in accumulating wealth and possessions where our happiness no longer increases. (I haven't been there yet, but they say it is true)

As we gain more, our concept of what a “need” is does too. What used to be a want when we had little, is now a need.

WHAT DRIVES OUR “NEEDS”?

We are afraid we will let people down. Maybe our parents, or our spouse, or our CLOSEST friends. We feel pressured to be successful and prove it through what we own.

We are afraid of ridicule from our peers. Maybe our neighbor has a new lawn mower. We wonder what he thinks when he sees us pushing around the same model we’ve had for 10 years.

We can be afraid we’ve failed with what we have (or don’t have). We give into envy and unhealthy ambition.

Money and possessions feel like a way to prove you're winning in life—You’ve made it!

As long as you base your self-worth on your net-worth, you're going to be always discontent chasing that next dollar.

<<ILLUSTRATION>>WHAT IS THE COST?

Americans spend 103% of what we make thanks to debt and institutions that are not set up to guide as as stewards of our money. We feel compelled to buy before we even consider if we can afford it.

Always chasing material things can hurt our marriages – couples list spending habits as one of the leading reasons for divorce.

The average working American works 46 hrs a week, that’s more than most countries in the world. Those are hours not spent with our families, or serving our communities, or spending time in communion with YHWH.

This is what is said in Ecclesiastes 4:4-9

Ecclesiastes 4:4–9 ESV

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. 7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

It's good to want to provide for your family, and have enough to be a blessing to others. Yet, there's a big difference between working to provide and working to escape your problems.

What motivates us to work, and what priority we give work is what is critical.

God wants us to have equal measure of hard work and peace in our lives.

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

When we find ourselves where our paycheck never seems to go far enough, and the work never seems to end, it’s really important to pause and ask ourselves:

What is the most important thing(s) in my life? How is what I am devoting my time to align with that?

Do I find joy in what I am doing? Do my work and possessions bring me an equal measure of peace?

If you find that you don’t like the answers to some of those questions, it might mean that it’s time for a change in your life.

Now, not all of us can quit our jobs, but maybe we can think about what motivates us to go to those jobs.

We can prioritize those things that are most important in our lives: Maybe that’s doing less overtime and doing more time with our families.

We can also prioritize what we do with what we earn: Maybe that’s cancelling a subscription to set up a contribution to a cause you are called to. Maybe it’s donating some possessions rather than buying more storage for it.

Transition:

So, we need to refuse to trade who we are for our stuff. The next step dovetails with this idea. The next shift is about what's driving us.

II. Use Money, Don’t Chase It

Most of us have heard the first half of this next verse, but I wonder how many of us read the second sentence of 1 Timothy 6:10

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV

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.

MONEY IS NOT THE PROBLEM-- the LOVE of money is the problem.

God is not anti-money. He knows that having money to take care of your needs is both a necessity and a blessing.

There’s nothing wrong with making money. Making money would enable to you to save more, give more, and do more good in the world.

What God is concerned about is NOT us having money, BUT our money having our hearts.

He doesn't want us to fall in love with money.

MONEY PROMISES A LOT

It promises to fix our problems, bring us peace, and help us to feel secure.

We start to think that having more money will fix almost everything that troubles us in our lives and so we start saying things like...

When I get that raise, I can finally relax

Once I get a little more savings in the bank, it'll all be smooth sailing.

If we can just get over this hump, then we can really start to enjoy life again.

BUT MONEY DOESN'T GUARANTEE HAPPINESS

We're bombarded with ads and other messages every day that subtly (and not so subtly) communicate to us that if we have lots of money then we'll be happy.

If that were true then the wealthiest people would be the happiest people but that's simply not the case.

How many of us can name rich celebrities that have committed suicide?

MONEY DOESN'T BRING PEACE

But, if I had a lot of money, at least I'd feel secure, right? For a time, perhaps.

But money isn’t eternal. One illness, one accident, one economic downturn can reverse that security.

For every raise we finally achieve, or purchase we’re finally able to afford, we find new things just out of reach to replace them.

Peace & security is really something only YHWH can provide, and He does as a gift--any counterfeits we achieve through money won’t last.

MONEY IS A MEANS, NOT AN END

What matters is the power we give money.

We know YHWH wants us to work hard, and be responsible with what we have.

But when we start to think that having a lot of money, or owning a lot of stuff, is some sort of silver bullet that will fix all our woes, we're headed for a lot of pain.

What if YHWH doesn’t want us to have much money? What if the reason is that we would put more faith in money than we do in Him.

Faith in money will always be depressing.

Transition:

So, the first mental shift is deciding to avoid trading self for stuff, the second mental shift is to avoid chasing after the false promises of money, and the third is equally important.

III. Enjoy What YHWH’s Given Me

Philippians 4:12

Philippians 4:12 ESV

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

“I have learned the secret”

What secret? The secret comes in the next ever popular verse:

Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13 ESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

IN CONTEXT, we see that this means that we can do all the things YHWH wants us to do because He is our provider and we have all we need from Him whether it is in a lot of stuff or if we have nothing else. Many before have said, “If we, as Christians, have nothing except Christ, we have everything we’ve ever needed.”

Appreciation for what we already have is crucial to curbing our desire to always have more.

IN CONTEXT, Paul can do all things because Paul realized that it doesn’t matter if he is starving or if he has more than he needs—what matters is he has Christ!

This ability - to enjoy what we have - is actually a gift that God wants to give us so that we might share this gift with others.

And it is truly a gift to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.

This sounds so simple, but it is surprisingly difficult.

We usually are too driven by achieving the next thing, that we don’t want to pause to praise GOD

WHAT'S THE KEY TO ENJOYMENT OF LIFE?

So, how do we tap into this gift that God wants to give us?

What's the key to truly enjoying our lives and the things we have right now?

One word... Gratitude.

Gratitude is such a powerful thing.

It changes our hearts from wanting the next thing to focusing on what's right in front of us.

It drains the energy out of our greeds and gives new vitality and joy to what's at hand.

INTENTIONAL GRATITUDE

It's more than just a general feeling of thankfulness that springs up in our hearts from time to time - only when things are going well. It’s the kind of gratitude we're talking about here today is intentional gratitude — It’s purposeful, it’s a choice, it’s something that we need to practice to be good at no matter our possessions or our bank accounts.

So What?

"Well, that sounds good but how do I apply this in the real world?"

First, ask for God's help. Ask Him to help you to enjoy everything in your life no matter what you have.

Second, start to thank YHWH DAILY for every good thing.

Thank Him that you woke up today.

Thank Him that you're able to get around.

Thank Him for the food you eat.

Thank Him for the people in your life.

If you like to journal, start a gratitude entry every day.

Find someone you can be accountable to and start each conversation by sharing things you are grateful for.

End the day with your families by thinking of specific things you are grateful to God for.

As you do this more and more, your appreciation of all these things will increase.

As you focus on what gifts you already possess, it will make your heart more content and tranquil.

REMEMBER

You are rich!

Conclusion:

<<CLOSING PRAYER>>

Let's pray...

Father, thank you for being such a good father. Thank you for giving us so very much, for all the gifts in our lives.

Please help us to learn how to enjoy all that You have given to us.

Please help us to live lives filled with enjoyment and thanksgiving.

Father, please keep us from being driven by an unquenchable and unreasonable desire for more.

Please help balance our priorities and help us not to forfeit our very selves for lesser things.