Be Content

The Apostle Paul, like us, wasn’t perfect. Over the course of his life he learned to make wise decisions. God designed our minds and gave us the Holy Spirit and His infallible Word to enable us to grow and learn. Think about how many things that we have learned to do well in the aftermath of a poor or unbiblical decision. Good decisions come from experience. Experience often comes by way of bad decisions. Poor decisions however, don’t have to remain a life sentence. Like Paul, we can all learn to make wise decisions. One of the great scriptural life lessons that Paul learned is found in Philippians 4:11 where he states, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Paul learned that the foundation for contentment is not based on some other person’s possessions, gifts or personality. He learned to base his contentment on his relationship in Christ.

Circumstances change. Christ never changes. So Paul could be content with very little or with very much. Who we are in Christ is eternal. Who we are in the things of the world is temporal and fleeting. Discontentment is unbiblical because it slanders God’s character. It places the value of other gods above the value of the true and living God. Fortunately God is patient with us. And His grace and mercy has allowed us, even today, like Paul to “Be content whatever the circumstances.”

Blessings, Dr. Joe