The Key to Contentment

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13

Secrets - whether a grandmother’s special recipe or a company’s unique product formula - are rarely revealed. In his letter to the Philippian church, the Apostle Paul provided all who would read the Scriptures with the secret of contended living. Paul announced to them and us that he was content in life - whether he had scraps for dinner or a feast, whether his purse was bulging or flat. His secret is shared in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

The Greek word for contentment is translated “self-sufficiency” or “self-satisfaction.” That may surprise you. At first glance, Paul appears to say that the secret to contentment lies in his own resilient self. But what he was expressing was this: “My self-sufficiency, my level of contentment, lies in the sufficiency of Christ to meet my every need. I can endure rain or shine, darkness or light, sorrow or joy because through Him I am equipped and sustained.”

Paul’s secret is yours. Despite the circumstances, you can enjoy true contentment when you accept the truth that Christ is adequate for your every need - in good times and bad.

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” 1 Timothy 6:6