Contentment in All Seasons

We're going to be talking about contentment today. And sometimes when we use that word contentment, we determine that contentment and ambition are diametrically opposed to each other — that if you are content, you're not ambitious. I would like to frame my early comments to negate that.

If you go back to the Garden of Eden, we find that Eve was ambitious. She wanted something better. In an effort to get something better, she discarded moral values. Contentment checks ambition so that moral values are not let go. There's nothing wrong with ambition, but ambition that seeks its satisfaction by negating moral values also negates contentment. Now, if you're confused, good. But for the necessary part, we need to live in some tension between the two. God created us with ambition. It seems to be innate. But at the same time, learning how to be content requires a spiritual mind.

There is this belief going on in our world that the extremely wealthy should not exist — that the extremely wealthy ought to give up their wealth. The richest man in the world is considered to have a wealth valued at $700 billion. If you took his wealth and divided it among all people in the United States, it would come to about $2,000 a person. That's not life-changing. You say, well, if we took all the billionaires — wait, just a second. Where do we draw the line? Because for most of us, those in abject poverty would look at us and say, why don't you share more with me? Somewhere along the line, what we have to recognize is the desire to see wealthy people give up their wealth says something about our heart, not theirs.

So I'm not here to talk about whether wealthy people ought to give up their wealth. I'm talking today about learning to be content, even as we might pursue ambition — to learn to be content in all situations.

The Apostle Paul — we're going to be looking at Philippians chapter four today, verses 10 through 13. This section, verse 13 is often quoted: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That verse is often quoted, but when it's quoted outside of context, we kind of miss it. I can remember as a child — I'm talking about nine or ten years old — hearing that verse and memorizing it and thinking, I'll be a great basketball player because I can do all things. Well, that ambition fell by the wayside. But out of context, that verse doesn't mean you can do whatever you want to do, and whatever you set your mind to, you will accomplish. That's not the verse. So we're going to look at it in context and make sure that we understand what that verse actually says to us. And that's about contentment. By the way, spoiler alert — in Philippians chapter four, Paul's writing these words from prison. That kind of puts a different light on things.

Paul's Situation

"I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." — Philippians 4:10-13

Roman prison was not exactly a cakewalk. But Paul finds himself in a particular situation. According to Acts, we know that he's under house arrest. So when I say Paul's in prison, he has restrictions. He is not in the dungeons of Rome. He is rather in a house where people can come and visit him and indeed bring him necessities like food. According to Philippians, however, he is surrounded by guards — he mentions that in chapter 2. And then he mentions that Epaphroditus has come from Philippi to give him much needed encouragement and a gift.

So while we may think Paul is not in a terrible situation, this is not the only time Paul has had to learn about being content. In 2 Corinthians, he writes this: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and day in the open ocean. I've been constantly on the move. I've been in danger from rivers, from bandits, from my fellow Jews, from Gentiles. I've been in danger in the city, in the country, at sea, in danger from false believers. I've labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep. I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food. I've been cold and naked. And besides that, I face the pressure daily of my concern for all the churches."

You know, it's really easy for us to talk about contentment when we're in a building that's warm. It's really easy to talk about contentment when we'll leave today and go find something to eat. It's really easy to talk about contentment when you are content. What is more difficult is to talk about contentment when you're under pressure. The ice storm of '94 — we gathered in this room without heat. We didn't stay long. But most of us didn't have heat at home either. And it was kind of like sharing your challenges with each other.

Paul's in prison. He's been in worse situations, but let's not make a mistake — being in prison, even though people can come and see him, he is still not doing what he wants to do and what he wishes he could do. And that is be out teaching. So he teaches the guards, he tells us in another passage. And Epaphroditus comes in with this gift, and because of the gift, Paul is now writing this letter in response.

The church at Philippi was under a lot of pressure too. There was external pressure he talks about in this letter. There's also internal pressure — chapter four, verse two, Euodia and Syntyche aren't getting along, putting some pressure internally as camps are divided. Paul's aware of all of that.

The "At Last" of Gratitude

Depending on your translation, verse 10 reads this way: "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me." At last. It's almost like a backhanded slap — like I've been waiting for this. That's not what he means. He knows that the congregation has been under extreme pressure externally and internally, and he's now grateful that there's enough room for them to share with Paul. In fact, he'll say later on in this chapter that they are the only congregation that has been consistent in developing a pattern of sharing with Paul. So he's not criticizing them, not at all. He is giving thanks.

But think of it this way. Paul basically says: I am so appreciative of the gift, but if the gift had not come, I would still be content. If the gift had been less, I would still be content. If Epaphroditus hadn't been able to come, I would still be content. He isn't criticizing Philippi — not at all. He is saying: I have learned how to be content in every situation. And if the gift had never come, if nothing had ever happened, I would still be content. It wasn't like Paul didn't need things. He did. But Philippi's absence did not take away his joy.

And that's the word that's used over and over again in this letter. Verse 10 — rejoice. Chapter four, verses four through nine, it's used four times. Chapter one, it's used several times. This whole letter is about joy. And it's about contentment. And that contentment brings joy.

The Secret, Learned Through Practice

Paul says in verse 12: "I know what it's like to be in need and have plenty, but I've learned the secret of being content." The word for "learned" there is the word that means you have to have a practice in order to learn it. Homework was practice — designed for you to practice so what you learn could become entrenched in the mind. Paul says, I have learned. And the way he learns is to be in tough situations. Oh, don't we wish that were not the case. Don't you wish you could just learn to be content without having to go through stuff? But you can't.

The word "content" is a word the Stoics in Paul's day used. It meant self-sufficiency. So you might be tempted to say, I've learned how to be self-sufficient in all situations. And that is a translation of that word. But that's not what Paul means by it. Paul uses a secondary meaning for this word: I have learned that external circumstances do not dictate my attitude. That's what he meant. I've learned that the externals don't have the final word.

For the Stoics, they were all about no emotion. Do you think for a moment that five times he was whipped, Paul had no emotions? Think his heart rate went up? Pupils dilated? Found it hard to breathe? A lot of adrenaline pumping? Yeah. You think being beaten with rods three times, being stoned, dragged out, having stones thrown at your face, your head, your body — might have created a few emotions? Paul isn't saying he's emotionless about all of this. Neither is he saying he likes it. But he has to go through it in order to learn about contentment.

I fear — and this is true about my life, you can make your own determination whether this is true for you — I fear that our contentment is too shallow. I fear that we have gotten so used to having so much that losing even a little bit makes us discontent. And the only way you really learn contentment is to go without. I didn't know what a daily shower was until Barbara and I got married. Then we moved into an apartment that had a shower and I thought, I'm in the lap of luxury. That's not to say showers define us. It's to say we keep adding. And we keep finding it difficult to be content the more we add. I'm not against wealth. I have it. I'm not against enjoying wealth. We do. But there has to be something going on inside our spiritual minds for us to move from wanting more to learning to accept what we already have. Somewhere along the line, contentment has to include the idea that no matter what the external circumstances, I'm still a person of joy.

Paul says in Philippians 3:3 that he is working under the Spirit of God. And in Galatians chapter 5, he talks about the work of the Spirit in the life of the believer — the Spirit is trying to produce love, joy, peace, patience, goodness. The second one: joy. Somewhere in the process of the accumulation of wealth, if there's no joy — if you take it away and there's no joy — what happens? Is our joy only based upon what we accumulate? Then the Spirit isn't at work. Paul says, I know what it's like to be naked, to be hungry, to be hungry and naked. And I was still filled with joy in all of that. Is it all based upon what we have, the externals? Or is there something going on in our spiritual mind where we've learned to be content even when we don't have?

Strength from Jesus

Paul says his strength — verse 13 — his strength comes from Jesus. He is especially appreciative of Epaphroditus. If they had just sent him without money, he would have been really thankful because Epaphroditus renewed his spirit, brought to him word of the outside world, encouraged him. And Paul says: I've learned that the externals do not affect what I know internally, and that is I'm in Jesus. And that's where my strength comes from. How do you handle it when things are not going well? Your strength comes from Jesus. What do you do when you don't have what you think you deserve? Your strength comes from Jesus.

There's a song that just will not leave me. I sing it around the house. I sing it in my car. And it won't leave me. "All my life, you've been faithful. All my life, you've been so, so good. And every breath that I'm able, I will sing of the goodness of God." I've been through tough times, haven't you? Tell me where God failed. When Paul is recounting everything he endured, he talks about the faithfulness of God. God never left him. The scars on Paul's back must have been deep and pronounced — my guess is it limited his movement. You can't be whipped five times and not suffer the consequences of that. And yet here he is in prison in Rome and he says to the Philippians: I know the secret. My strength is in Jesus.

You may go through your own garden experience just like Jesus did. You may beg God to release you and relieve you from what you're going through, only to discover you've got to walk through it. The Bible tells us that Jesus was not unemotional in the garden. Maybe you have your own garden experience. Maybe it's come and gone. Maybe you're in the midst of it. Maybe it's yet to come. But here's what I know: like Jesus, you can get up from your face in the presence of God and turn to people and say, I know what God wants me to do. I've got to go through this. Walk with me while I go through it. Maybe like Paul, you'll pray three times for God to relieve you of something and God will eventually say: stop. My grace is enough. Not the words Paul wanted to hear, but the words upon reflection he could say — God has been faithful.

It is time for us to be the people of contentment — not based upon our wealth, not based upon what we have. It's based on where we are in Christ. That's where our joy comes from. We would have an emotional response if we lost it all today — I get it. You hear me say be more stoic. That's not what I'm saying. Could you be content with less? Would you still have joy? Would God still be faithful? Singing of the goodness of God with less.

Whatever trials you're going to walk through, know you're in good company. Jesus walked through them, Paul walked through them. Maybe you go through a Naomi experience where you lose your spouse and two kids and you just say, change my name, I'm bitter — just call me Mara now. And it takes a while for Naomi to find contentment again. Maybe that's what you have to go through. It's not immediate. To learn means through repetition and practice you develop the spirit that the Holy Spirit is trying to develop within you — the spirit of joy.

When my maternal grandfather was ill, the last five years of his life he was in a hospital bed at his house. He had begged all four of his children: I don't want to die in a nursing home, I want to die at home. So for five years, they paid for his care and made sure he was at home. And one of the last Christmases we had together, my grandmother came into the family and prayed over us. I will never forget how much joy she had — even though her husband was dying, even though she was away from family, even though she couldn't exchange gifts, even though there were so many challenges — because she was a woman filled with joy. And to have her come in and pray over us, and to hear about the faithfulness of God.

I will sing of the goodness of God. All my life you've been faithful. All my life you've been so, so good. With every breath that I'm able, I will sing of the goodness of God. That's our joy. Take it all away — God is still faithful. That's contentment. And we have to learn it.

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