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Enjoying Life In A (Mostly) Joyless World
Enjoy Life By Learning To Be Content
Philippians 4:10-13
Introduction:
Contentment
Contentment is defined as satisfaction or ease of mind. Someone who is
content is satisfied with what one is or has, not wanting more or anything
else. How
many of the people you know are content with their lives? Doesn’t it seem as
though the people you know are unhappy about something, dissatisfied with some
part of life, and unfulfilled in where life has taken them?
How
about you? If you believe what the news is telling, you have never had life so
difficult! But, if you believe what the commercials are selling, satisfaction
is only one simple purchase away. The wrinkles can be taken off your face, the
IRS can be forced to back off, the credit card companies will agree to settle
for less and you can experience physical love on your schedule. If you could
truly bottle contentment, you would become rich beyond your wildest dream.
But, does
wealth bring contentment? Do riches
guarantee satisfaction? It would be nice to have some guarantees, but true contentment is found somewhere else.
As Paul celebrates the joy of the Christian life, he writes about contentment.
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed
your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no
opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for 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.
Philippians
4:10-12 NIV
Contentment is not apathy, laziness or complacency. Some people who
seem to be content just don’t care. Contentment is learned. Contentment is
independent from circumstances. Contentment is not based on the situations
around you. It’s not an instant, one time experience. Contentment rests on an
inner state of mind. Life is a school where we have the opportunity to learn
contentment on a daily basis. The problem is most people seem to be failing.
Let’s look at four lessons on how to be content—satisfied with life.
1st
Lesson: Learn To Avoid Comparisons
When
you compare yourself to others do you usually end up feeling better or worse
about yourself? Comparing yourself to others hardly ever works
out well. It almost always leads to a gnawing sense of dissatisfaction.
I was talking
to a friend recently about how retirement is being delayed for many people
because of the sad state of the economy. He said, “Not me. I just retired a few
days ago and my pension provided by the state of Minnesota is good as gold. His
wife and I agreed that we would continue to pay our taxes so his pension could
remain golden. Then, he said that he rolled any investments from stocks into
cash instruments last August. He quickly added he did so because he was scared,
not smart. Whatever his reason, the rest of us were envious.
If you
really want to learn to be content you have to avoid comparisons. There will
always be someone who makes more money, who enjoys better circumstances or has
fewer problems. None of these has any bearing on your personal sense of satisfaction.
Writing to the church at Corinth Paul reflected on the troubles we face and
concluded:
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we
fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things
we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see
will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT
When we focus on the here and now there are three common misconceptions
about achieving happiness and satisfaction.
I Must Have What Others Have To Be Happy
This provides the engine that powers the myth behind all myths and
fashions. I recently heard that skinny ties and narrow lapels are in during
2009-2010. There goes my whole wardrobe! If my life is going to be good,
I need to head to the store. By the way, who decides these things? Is there
some mastermind out there with a matrix who determines the cycle for skinny
ties and wide ties?
I Must Be Liked By Everybody To Be Happy
You really don’t need to be liked by everybody to be happy. You really
don’t. So many people get hung on trying to win the approval of others. You
will not make it through life without some disapproval. Fortunately, most of us
don’t have weekly polls that report to the world if our approval ratings are
improving or declining. It doesn’t matter what you do, somebody is going to
disapprove. Even Jesus couldn’t make all the people happy.
I Must Have More To Be Happy
This one is dangerously seductive. I know I’m not happy, but I think
if I could just have a little bit more than I have now, then I would be happy. When asked how much money it takes to make a person
happy, the ridiculously rich Howard Hughes said, “Just a little more.”
The problem with having a little more is that we also end up owing a little
more.
Paul gave Timothy a very different template for contentment.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought
nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food
and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV
Would
we really be content if we were reduced to having only food and clothing? That’s the
ideal—to be content with the essentials. Developing an obsession with
possessions only leads to dissatisfaction.
Do you want to be contented? Don’t compare yourself to others.
2nd
Lesson: Learn To Adjust To Change
Life is like a rollercoaster—it is filled with ups and downs. It’s
true emotionally, physically, mentally, financially, and professionally. If you
are breathing, change is inevitable.
How
well do you handle change? When
things are shaken up do you become frightened, angry, or uptight? Maybe you
just get moody and people know that something is going on in your life. One of the secrets of happiness in life is
your ability to adjust to the constantly changing circumstances of life.
The ability to adjust and be flexible will affect satisfaction. Look again at
what Paul writes.
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances… I
have learned to be content in any and every situation, whether
well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Philippians 4:11-12 NIV
Paul had seen good times and he knew tough circumstances. From this
Paul had learned to live independent of circumstances
(Berkeley Version). Paul understood the source of a satisfying life.
Contentment isn’t found in people, profits, pleasures, possessions, prestige or
popularity. These things all come and go and ultimately are gone. Paul learned
to live independent of circumstances.
It’s easy to agree with Paul when things are going well. Things
weren’t going so well when Paul wrote his joy-filled letter to the Philippians.
He had grown older and was isolated in a Roman prison. Still, he says that he
has learned to be content even though his life has literally been reduced to only
having something to eat and some clothing to wear. Paul avoided comparisons. He
adjusted to changes. He was flexible.
We have to
learn to be flexible because circumstances usually aren’t. No matter
what happened, Paul was not going to become a victim. In whatever circumstances
he found himself those circumstances were not going to control him. No matter
what people did to him, that was not going to control his life.
When asked how we are doing, a common answer is, “I’m doing all right—under
the circumstances.” Circumstances were never meant to be something to get
under. A better answer would be, “In spite of the circumstances, I’m on top of
it!” You don’t have to live under the circumstances.
There are three kinds of circumstances we encounter.
Circumstances I Can Control And Do
These circumstances are a large part of our lives. If I don’t like
what’s on the channel I’m watching, I can change the channel. If I don’t like
what I’m eating, I can find something else to eat (or choose to wait until the
next meal).
Circumstances I Can Control And
Don’t
There are circumstances where change will require effort. Sometimes
we’re simply not willing to give the effort. We succumb to laziness.
Contentment is not laziness or complacency. If you can change a situation, you
don’t need to just give up and accept it and call it contentment. You need to
get up and do something about it.
Circumstances I Can’t Control
There are many circumstances that are beyond your control. Illnesses
and accidents happen. These are beyond your power. You do the best you can and
the rest is out of your hands. You can do everything right and still be caught
by very unpleasant circumstances. These
are the times when we need to rest in God’s power, rejoice in His grace and
trust in His providence.
There are times we need to adjust to circumstances and there are times
when we need to adjust to people. There are two different Greek words used in
the New Testament for patience. One involves
patience to bear through tough circumstances (hupomone) and one identifies the patience to bear with tough people
(makrothumia). Other people can be inflexible and that will affect your life.
Paul offered good advice to the Christians in Rome who would understand how
much life is affected by other people. He wrote,
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at
peace with everyone. Romans
12:18 NIV
Just as it takes two to tangle, it takes two to live in peace. You
have control over one of the two people—yourself. So, as far it depends on you,
live at peace.
When facing really tough times we often don’t know if we should laugh
or cry. It probably doesn’t matter which way you go. God gave us emotions and
those emotions provide God’s release for us as we come to terms with life and
learn to adjust to circumstances that may very well be beyond our control.
3rd
Lesson: Learn To Draw On Christ’s Power
God doesn’t leave us to rely on our power and resources. Thank God, He
makes His resources available to us. I need to learn to draw on His power.
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 everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians
4:12-13 NIV
God Helps Us Make It Through The Problem
God helps you make it through when a marriage falls
apart
God helps you make it through when illness devastates
and death destroys
God helps you make it through when the stock market
crashes
God helps you make it through when life comes unraveled
at the seams
Paul has made his difficulties known. He doesn’t complain. He says he
can handle anything because he has an external source of power. Instead of
relying on his finite power, he relied on God’s infinite, inexhaustible power.
We love to quote this verse, especially when we have made it through
the problem. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. We have to
be careful because we jump to the conclusion that if we rely on God’s power we
are going to make it through the problem. “See, I told you I can do everything
through Him who gives me strength.”
God Helps Us Deal With The Problem
The much harder challenge comes
when we don’t make it through the challenge. We love to come to the end of a
problem. Sometimes, however, we don’t. Paul had a physical problem that he
asked God to remove from him three different times. He was never healed. Paul
had seen other people healed when he prayed. Now, he prayed for healing and he
wasn’t. Paul claimed he could do everything through him who gave him strength.
He did. He learned to live with what he called a thorn in the flesh as God made
His strength available through Paul’s weakness—not by delivering him from his
weakness.
Which
is more challenging? Does it require more power to deliver by healing or more
power to persevere by helping? There
is no difference in the power. There is, however, a difference in the plan God
is working in your life. I admit the option of having to live with the
problem and deal with it requires more faith. That’s why it’s called
persevering faith. That’s why I find this translation helpful in the midst of
the struggle.
I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have
lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be
hungry, to have too much or too little. Christ gives me the strength to face
anything. Philippians 4:12-13 CEV
Christ gives the power to face anything. Anything? Yes, anything! The
Greek word for strength is the word from which we also derive our words dynamo
and dynamite. Jesus Christ is the dynamo from whom I receive strength. He is
better than the Energizer Bunny. When I’m faced by circumstances that tax my resources
I can be confident that Christ’s power never runs out.
When Paul faced his thorn in the flesh, God said to him,
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
The same Greek word used for contentment in Philippians 4 is used for
sufficient in 2 Corinthians 12. God’s
sufficiency is our contentment.
We need to learn to depend on Christ’s power because there are times
when we are allowed to go through difficult circumstances to experience God’s
sufficiency and learn contentment.
4th
Lesson: Learn To Trust God To Meet My Needs
God’s Promise
As an introduction to the final study in Philippians next week we need
to look at this fourth lesson of trusting God to meet our needs. To do that
jump ahead a few verses.
And my God will meet all your needs according to his
glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NIV
How
many needs does God promise to meet?
What
limitations does God place on His promise?
What
guarantee does God offer?
When you buy
an insurance policy there are usually many pages of provisions included with it,
specifying what’s covered and not covered, limitations of coverage and on and
on. I have never really taken time to read all of the fine print. I rely on the
truthfulness of the agent representing the company. When something happens I
call him and he tells me what’s included so I won’t need to worry.
God’s Promises
The Bible is the document outlining God’s promises to us. Unlike my
insurance policy, I do read my Bible. There are over 6000 promises in the
Bible. I don’t know all of them but I do know and certainly trust the agent who
represented God by dying on the Cross to pay the premium for the policy. When
something happens I call on God in prayer and take His promise as my own. I
don’t need to worry because God has promised to take care of my needs. More
than once I have turned to Jesus’ words telling me,
Don't worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have anything
to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?"
Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your
Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else,
put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours
as well. Matthew 6:31-33
CEV
God wants us to be content in our relationship with Him.
Conclusion:
Live Life To The Full!
The real reason people lack contentment is because Jesus is not the
center of their lives. They look for fulfillment in the wrong places and wrong
things. People jump from relationship to relationship, from job to job and from
one activity to another, thinking the next thing will satisfy them. In the end
there are left with the understanding of the haunting words of The Rolling
Stones, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” All of that stuff just doesn’t work.
God wants you to have a happy, fulfilling, satisfying life. He said
it.
A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that
everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. John
10:10 CEV
Life in the fullest is what God wants us to have. But the way you have
satisfaction in life is by learning the lessons of contentment. Which of these
four lessons do you need to learn? or relearn?
1st
Lesson: Learn To Avoid Comparisons
2nd
Lesson: Learn To Adjust To Change
3rd
Lesson: Learn To Draw On Christ’s Power
4th
Lesson: Learn To Trust God To Meet My Needs
Jesus is the source of true and lasting contentment. Let’s spend a few
minutes so we can turn our eyes upon Jesus.
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