“…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11b

 

It's time to take an honest look!

 

Oh how good it would be to say with Paul—no matter what, I am content!

The feeling of contentment seems to be a fleeting one at best. Trying to grasp it is like snatching a snowflake out of the air only to open our fist and find it isn’t there. But perhaps the “trying to grasp it” is the problem.

 

Is contentment really something that can be grasped, something to strive for and obtain? Most of us live as if it is. Check it out--does this sound familiar? If I could just…   If I hadn’t…  If I were…   If... If... If...

 

I’m discovering that contentment is not an “if/then” issue. Let’s be honest. There will always be “ifs” in our lives, whether we’re rich or poor, overweight or thin, sick or healthy or in any other condition. But I believe in spite of those conditions, we can find the contentment that Paul is referring to.

 

True contentment is not based on possessions or circumstances but is reliant on our satisfaction with God. Are we okay with where He has us? Are we all right with what He’s given us? Do we trust Him enough to know that we know that He’s got this thing called “my life” in His hands?

 

Contentment isn’t an automatic provision we get when we become a Christian. Notice that Paul says, “for I have learned…” It took a while; He had to experience some things, but eventually He got it. If it took Paul a while to figure it out, then there’s still hope for us!

 

Being content doesn’t mean we will never want our circumstances to improve. It doesn’t mean we won’t have desires. I’m sure Paul didn’t whoop it up and feel like partying every time he was thrown in prison or was shipwrecked. But I am sure that he was satisfied that the God he loved and trusted knew right where he was and had everything under control.

 

Maybe the honest question we need to ask ourselves when we start feeling that niggling feeling of discontent is this: “Am I satisfied with God?” Maybe within that questioning we’ll find that we truly are content.