Contentment That Starts Today and Lasts Forever
The secret of contentment has to do with how we view and respond to God’s provision.
by Pastor Chip Ingram
Our peace is not dependent upon our circumstances.
Paul teaches that we can be fully satisfied regardless of our circumstances. In Philippians 4:11, he uses the verb "to learn" as a series of events occurring and culminating in a single picture of reality. The very experiences that we would see as overwhelming are the very things that Paul claims helped him learn the secret of peace and contentment.
Paul's thesis—deep-seated satisfaction in life has no relationship to circumstances—goes directly against the grain of American culture by attacking the modern "when/then syndrome." "When I get married, then I'll be happy..." "When my health improves..." "When my aging parents get the care they need..." "When my investments come out right..."
Have you ever wondered why so many people are unhappy with their careers, why divorce is so rampant, or why people are often completely unprepared to raise a family?
We all buy into the premise that says when this or that happens, then I'll be happy. You can spend your life chasing after "when/thens," but you won't reach peace that way.
But how can we change? What has the power to help us view life as Paul did? The answer is in verse 10. Paul models it for us! Despite his horrendous circumstances, he chooses to focus on what he did have, instead of what he didn't have. In the midst of prison, hardships and injustice, he says, "I greatly rejoice that you have renewed your concern for me."
So, how can we break the "when/then syndrome?"
Be Grateful.
Thank God for what you do have, instead of focusing on what you don't have. Most of us are living for tomorrow or next month or next year. By focusing on what you do have and habitually giving thanks, the cycle of stress and discontentment will be broken. This sounds simple, but remember that every commercial on TV is designed to push you in the opposite direction, to make you feel a vacuum of need. You don't have that car, house, date, dress or hair color, so you can't be happy until you do.
Practice being actively grateful.
Thank God for the job that you do have. Thank God for the marriage you do have. Thank God for the car you do have. Thank God for the health you do possess. Gratitude has the power to change your perspective! The Scripture tells us that being grateful is the will of God. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." When you and I aren't grateful, we aren't only causing damage to our mental and emotional health, we are being disobedient. In fact, in Ephesians 5:20, we are taught that when we are filled with the Spirit, and the Spirit of God is orchestrating our thoughts and minds and impulses, we will sing in our hearts toward God, giving thanks for everything. In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, choose the place called grateful! Peace and contentment will be following close behind.
Inner peace is something we learn, not something we achieve.
Twice in his letter to the Philippians, Paul states that he has learned to be content. The word here for contentment is not something passive. It does not mean to abandon goals or direction. Literally it means self-sufficient. Paul is saying that he has everything he needs. He has peace, joy and real contentment. He is satisfied, seeing God's provision as sufficient. Contentment is not found outside of you ... it has to do with what is inside of you.
Next, we must understand the consequences of following our own desires and shortcutting God's will:
- Disappointment - Moses experienced the frustration that came from acting on His own strength rather than waiting on God.
- Disharmony - Conflict and discord will inevitably come from acting on our strength. For true peace, we must be in communication with Him.
- Denial of God's best - Was God's will accomplished through Moses? Yes. Did Moses experience God's best? No. Moses spent forty years as a fugitive because of his actions. Yet God used Moses regardless, and, ultimately, molded the situation in accordance to His will.
- Spiritual defeat - When we live outside of God's will, we will constantly experience defeat. Without God, we are relying on our own flesh; and, as Christ says, "the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). We cannot win without the Lord.
Chuck Swindoll has written, "Happiness is 10 percent what happens in your life and 90 percent how you respond to it." Attitude is paramount. A Greek philosopher said, "To whom little is not enough, nothing is enough." If you can't experience satisfaction and contentment with your current relationships, cars, houses, and income, and see them as the result of the divine resources of God, then you will never be at peace. This is because you're interpreting your circumstances in light of an ever-moving scale. Contentment is not a future event! It is not something external to be obtained, but rather an inner truth to be grasped.
Chip Ingram, the President & CEO of Walk Thru the Bible, is the Teaching Pastor for the radio broadcast Living on the Edge. He has served as Senior Pastor of Santa Cruz Bible Church, a large non-denominational church located in Santa Cruz, California, since 1990. Often dealing with highly controversial and life-impacting issues, Chip's teaching is characterized by relevance, integrity, and Scriptural accuracy.
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