May 29, 2012 Words of Grace – More on Contentment
We said Sunday that the “thing” the Apostle Paul said he could do through Christ who strengthened him was to be content in all situations (Philippians 4:13 – click here to hear the sermon). Paul could be content in all circumstances because Christ was the deep affection of his soul.
Paul also knew that, in all things, God was working in his life to make him more like Christ. In his circumstances, he was learning the kind of trust and submission to God that Jesus himself had while he was on earth. This awareness enabled him to be content.
Along with the passion Paul had for Christ and the awareness of God’s work in his life, there was also the desire for the advance of the gospel of Christ in the world. This too was the secret to Paul’s contentment. When he realized that his circumstances, good and bad, were used by God to spread the word of Christ further into new territory, he was able to be content in those circumstances for Christ’s sake.
So, what is the secret to contentment? A growing affection for Christ, a longing to be like Christ, and a vision of the advance of the gospel of Christ.
Scott