Philippians 4:11-14

 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.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.I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

When you think of a life of contentment, what does that bring to your mind? May would think of things like few problems, good health, financial security, and a loving family.  But if we were to look at the Apostle Paul’s life, that was certainly not the case for him.  His life was actually filled with dangers, rejection, personal attacks, beatings, and imprisonment.  But despite all of that, he claimed to have learned the secret of being content in every circumstance!  How is that even possible? Well, the source of his contentment was obviously not his situation, which should encourage us because that can be true for us as well.

The secret that Paul discovered was to focus on and rejoice in the Lord.  Paul knew he was spiritually rich and had been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).  The comforts and pleasures of this life were not worthy to even be compared to the eternal glory that awaited him.  He said in Romans 8:18, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 

Contentment is hard to find and even harder to keep.  There’s always something newer and better to buy or for many, a more appealing relationship to pursue.  In addition to that, the difficult times that we go through in our life can easily drag us down if we don’t keep our focus on Jesus. When we feel unsatisfied, remember all that we have in Christ and then we can respond according to those truths rather than our feelings.