Live with contentment


Philippians 4:8-13 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10 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. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 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. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?” “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Oh yeah,” said the son. “So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have. What is one person’s worthless object is another’s prize possession. It is all based on one’s perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks to God for all the riches we have been provided by Him, instead of worrying about wanting more. Today we learn to live with contentment.

Are you content? Do you have everything you need to live? Are you content with what God has given to you? Most people aren’t content with what they have. They always want more. My question to you is this: How can you be content with more if you aren’t content with what you already have?
But we always want more don’t we? A bigger TV, a faster computer, a newer vehicle, more clothing, better pay, a promotion, a longer vacation, less stress and so much more.

Are you one of the people who is trapped in the devil’s pursuit of the “American dream”? I found a study from a few years ago on the spending habits of young married couples with children. Their average after-tax income was $19,783. Their average annual spending was $21,401. That means that they were spending around 8% more than they made. Basically, they want everything their parents had, but they want it right away. They don’t want to wait.

Its not only young families who are in financial trouble. All of us are susceptible to the temptations of the almighty dollar. Another survey showed that for Americans with household incomes under $25,000, it would take $54,000 a year to fulfill the American dream. Those who make $100,000 plus crave an average of $192,000. In other words, the American Dream usually lies nearly twice the distance away.

Benjamin Franklin once said that “content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.” We are always after something more.

Our discontentment with God is harmful to us. It pulls us away from God. We aren’t satisfied. We aren’t happy. We want more. And if God isn’t going to give it to us, then we’ll just go looking somewhere else. Ultimately, then, our discontent will lead us straight to hell.

Our discontentment also makes us sound like a bunch of depressing, whining crybabies. And who wants to be around people like that.

Paul was the opposite. He wrote, “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.”

Paul wasn’t ticked off when he was thrown out of a town and had to live on the street, sleeping under a bridge with a growling stomach. Neither was he uneasy when his congregations treated him well and he enjoyed delicious potlucks after Sunday service. When without, he didn’t grumble. And when he was blessed, he didn’t act unworthy and ashamed.

How did Paul learn to be content? It was all through Christ. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Our Savior not only lives within each of us, He also pours His power into us.

What kind of power? Remember what Christ Jesus went through for us. The world’s greatest Friend suffered deceit and denial at the hands of His closest friends. The Lover of souls endured having His back ripped apart by a scourge, a crown of thorns shoved onto His head, His face slapped, and spat upon, by the very people He was trying to save. The Creator of life allowed His life to be taken from Him on a cruel, torturous cross. The Son of God was abandoned by His own Father. Jesus went through hell for us.

Then He won heaven for us. As quietly as He gave up His life on a Friday afternoon, that is how powerfully He took that life back up again on a Sunday morning. That same power that drove out demons, gave sight to the blind and healing to the crippled, is the same power that Jesus used to bring His cold, dead body back to life. That’s power. That’s the power Jesus has and it’s the power He pours into us.

“I can do all things through education.” No. “I can do all things through money.” No. “I can do all things through success.” No. “I can do all things through positive thinking.” No. Nothing else fits … only Christ. Why? Because nothing and no one else is able to empower us and provide the strength we need.

Many people in our world, and many of us here today are not content because we are missing something in our lives. Not more money, not a bigger house, not even more patience or less stress. We aren’t focused enough on our Savior. Jesus gives us everything we need. Not everything we want, but everything we need. He gives us Himself. “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). He gives us His love. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He says that we can be content, because we have God in our lives. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

Leaning on his fence one day, a devout Quaker was watching a new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, plush furniture, and costly wall hangings had been carried in, the Quaker called over, “If you find you’re lacking anything, neighbor, let me know and I’ll show you how to live without it.”

Here are three steps to develop contentment in your life.

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. When you compare your life with someone else’s, the only place it can lead is toward discontentment. There will always be people who appear to be better off than you, but you don’t know their real circumstances. I remember speaking to a husband who said he wished his wife could be more like so-and-so. What he didn’t know is that the woman he wished for was a functioning alcoholic causing incredible heartache and stress for her family and for her husband. That’s why the Bible teaches it is unwise to compare (2 Corinthians 10:12).

Listen, you are unique. God created you to be like nobody else, so why would you want to be anyone else. God is perfect, and you were His perfect choice to be you. Understanding that is a huge step toward being content with your life.

Also, look at all the things God has given you. So often we allow what we don’t have to so dominate our focus that we forget the many wonderful things we already have, not only material blessings, but far more important things, such as family, friends, faith, church, school and synod.

2. Give yourself to others. When you begin giving yourself to others, sharing what things you do have, sharing your time and your talents, you will find yourself learning to be content. Helping others will give you an appreciation for what you have and who you are, but more importantly, you will find yourself growing content. Why? Because God designed us to serve and share with others, and until we do that, we will feel great discontent.

3. Focus on things with eternal value. The real secret to becoming content is to focus on the things that have eternal value. That’s why Jesus taught, “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Think about the things in your life: What will last forever? What will last a lifetime or few short years or even days? Based on eternal value, what things are most important in your life? Where – and with whom – should you put your most time and energy?

By re-organizing your life around eternal priorities, you’ll find yourself growing in contentment as you live according to God’s design and purpose.
God wants us to be content with the grace, love, and salvation His Son has won for us. This godly contentment produces wondrous effects. We don’t have to worry about where the next meal or next paycheck is coming from. We simply trust in our gracious God who promises: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

Contentment focuses on the realities of faith. Many people have trouble looking beyond “the here and now” to the hereafter. But that is the essence of our Christian faith. We KNOW that our Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the last day upon the earth. And we shall stand with him!!

This is not a philosophy. This is a way of life. This is what it is like following a Savior like Jesus. This contentment with Jesus directs our Christian lives down a wonderful path – a path of joy and praise.

Philip was a rich businessman who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren't you out there fishing?” Philip asked. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked. “What would I do with them?” “You could earn more money,” was Philip’s impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.” The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?” “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the rich businessman. The fisherman replied as he looked peacefully out to sea, “What do you think I'm doing now?”

Knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior is really the secret of being content. We are content with what we have because we are content with who we are – children of God. We are content with what we have because we are content with where we are going – to our heavenly home. Let’s treasure the contentment that God has given to us in this life. And then let’s live this life of contentment. Amen.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:19-20)

8th Sunday after the Epiphany at Epiphany on February 27, 2011

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Justified in Jesus

Water into blood and water into wine

Believe It or Not