“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:11-13
Life is not easy. There are a lot of ups, downs, and speed bumps. For some, the difficulties and challenges are greater. Such was the case with Paul. His own testimony in II Corinthians 11 reveals that he worked long hard hours, was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, stranded in the water, robbed, faced dangers in the wilderness and sea, was lied about, suffered hunger and thirst, and suffered through the cold.
Yet through all his hardships, Paul was able to pen, “… I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Here was a man that went through a lot, most of it while trying to serve the Lord, yet he was able to declare, “That whatever I go through, I am still happy!” What an attitude. I want some of that!
We now have a world that has much more than they would have dreamed of having 50 years ago, but with all the things they have, they still are not content. Things, despite the propaganda from the covet-vision and pleas from an unhappy population, do not fill the empty space everyone has and do not make one permanently content.
Not only does discontentment leave tremendous voids in one’s life; it can be sin. It can be iniquity because it is God that provides all that we have. It is foolish to say we have gotten anything without God’s help. Even the ungodly only have what they have because God allowed them to have the health, job, and opportunity to obtain anything they have. To not be content with what they have, is saying indirectly to God, “I don’t appreciate what you allowed me to have, and I want something else!” Gulp! When you look at it that way, it can clearly be seen as sin.
It can also be sin because too many are trying to be fulfilled by things. They never fill the gap in their lives that only can be fulfilled by living for and obeying God. Many have found out that as soon as they got that beautiful, shiny car that they coveted for a long time, another car attracts them and they say, “I wish I had gotten that car.”
Also, longing for something that someone else has is simply “covetousness.” The tenth of the “Ten Commandments” clearly lets us know it is sin to not be satisfied with what you have and to covet what someone else has.
Those that have gained some victory over the human weakness of being discontent have many advantages. A content person will find that, since they are already happy with what they have, they will have genuine joy. When things are broken or taken away from them, their joy will not be lost; as it was never those things that gave them joy and peace in the first place. A content person will also find that they appreciate everything! This certainly is a different picture from one that is always unhappy, complaining, and never satisfied.
Several biblical principles are taught in I Timothy 6 that can help one get a better perspective on being content. They include:
- Anything you have is more than you started out with or deserve!
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” vs. 6 - If you have your needs met, everything else is an undeserved, unnecessary blessing.
“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” vs. 8 - Too much of a good thing can be a snare that can trap us into unhappiness and discontentment and lead us far from where God wants us.
“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” vss. 9-10 - The true things that mark a successful person are righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness; not things!
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” vss. 11-12
Christian, we do not have to be like the world. We can be content. After having the promise of Heaven and the love of God all else is pure “gravy”! Trusting that we have what God allows us to have can help us be more satisfied. He is the one in control; not us. We can be content during the good (abounding) times, as well as the bad (abasing) times. We can be content no matter what we are allowed to go through in this life.
“If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can be sure their water bill is higher.” — Laugh Book
Thank you for the great article
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Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Keep up the superb work!
If i want something i either get it myself or do without but i dont want what others have i try to only have what i can use and need .
I think parents and our government are mostly to blame for our lack of contentment in our society. Parents are not teaching their children responsibility and hard work to be responsible adults, while our government rewards laziness with entitlement programs!
Bro Brinkworth, Would you take a moment and discuss where you think the line begins with covetousness? In other words, If I think of something I would like to have and spend some time dwelling on it, is that coveting? Or perhaps my car is old and could use being replaced, but I could still get by with what I have, is wishing for a new car coveting? My Brother gets a new fishing pole and I think, that is the coolest thing, I wish I had one….at what point does that cross over into coveting?
I realize this might be an opinion question, but you are a man with God’s hand on him, people will not take lightly anything you say. What do you think?
I really dislike giving my opinion, because too many do that without biblical authority. Most opinions do not really matter; it is what God’s says about a subject that matters.
I was immediately reminded, after your request, of this Scripture: Php 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” I have been contemplating it all day, as I felt it had the answer to your question.
Immediately I foolishly went to the Greek thinking perhaps that would make it clearer, but to no avail. Then I went to the Webster’s 1828 dictionary (everyone should have one, as we do not know English as well as we should). I was reminded that “state” is the circumstances or condition we find ourselves in. So not being happy in the circumstances we find ourselves in is the fine line we have to distinguish. The following verse verifies this:” Php 4:12 “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” No matter what circumstances we are allowed to being (poor, rich, full, or starving) in, we should be “satisfied, have peace in our minds, restraining from complaining, moderate degree of happiness.”
However, there is within us a nature that wants to better ourselves. If I think a new Fly rod would be nice, or car, or farm equipment and would make work or life easier, that is a normal wanting-to-improve-one’s-self. However, if I have the wrong “unhappy, disgruntled, lack of peace, complaining spirit” about what God has allowed me to have, then that is where sin of discontentment has slithered in. The balance is we should always want to better ourselves, family, and our situation, but it should not be a driving force. The “I will not be happy” or “others will think bad of me if I don’t drive a Mercedes” is a sure sign of discontentment.
Hard question! I hope I brought some clarity. Thanks for the challenge.
Brother, you handled that with grace and wisdom, as usual.
I thought the same thing. One should always strive to prosper while being willing to use and stay with what God has given and where he has us.
The key to that contentment is the Holy Ghost. The more we can interface with him, the more in tune our desires will be with God’s and the better the decisions we will make.
I appreciate you taking your time to look and ponder rather than just dashing something off, like I would.