CONTENTEMENT
Phil 4:11 Not that I complain of want: for I have learned in WHATEVER STATE I am to be content
I find this scripture very interesting and funny at the same time. It's a scripture about contentment written when the author is in prison. Now, if it was up to me or many of us we would give the theme of justice to the book of Philippians because Paul writes this book in prison sentenced for crimes he had not committed but contrary to what I would have expected he talks about rejoicing and joy. He in fact gives the book a theme of freedom and breaking of chains and lastly contentment. This irony makes me adore this book.
The other beauty of this scripture is it's found in a chapter that has two of the most quoted scriptures in the Bible: 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' and 'My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ'. Now here is the thing: We have not fully understood the walk in these promises. These promises are in fact not being manifested fully in our lives and recently I asked myself why. Studying the whole chapter it hit me that we avoid one important teaching of Paul in that chapter: CONTENTMENT!
I like to look at contentment as freedom from a lot of things. Freedom from what you don't have, freedom from what you didn't get, freedom from what you are not getting, freedom from what people think of you, freedom from what people have said about you and the list goes on and on because You are CONTENTED in who you are in Christ! See, the funny thing about life is you can never have enough and it happens to everyone. The difference comes in when you allow disappointment to define you then you find yourself in discontentment.
Therefore today Id like to challenge you to rejoice in all things and be contented.
God bless!
I find this scripture very interesting and funny at the same time. It's a scripture about contentment written when the author is in prison. Now, if it was up to me or many of us we would give the theme of justice to the book of Philippians because Paul writes this book in prison sentenced for crimes he had not committed but contrary to what I would have expected he talks about rejoicing and joy. He in fact gives the book a theme of freedom and breaking of chains and lastly contentment. This irony makes me adore this book.
The other beauty of this scripture is it's found in a chapter that has two of the most quoted scriptures in the Bible: 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' and 'My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ'. Now here is the thing: We have not fully understood the walk in these promises. These promises are in fact not being manifested fully in our lives and recently I asked myself why. Studying the whole chapter it hit me that we avoid one important teaching of Paul in that chapter: CONTENTMENT!
I like to look at contentment as freedom from a lot of things. Freedom from what you don't have, freedom from what you didn't get, freedom from what you are not getting, freedom from what people think of you, freedom from what people have said about you and the list goes on and on because You are CONTENTED in who you are in Christ! See, the funny thing about life is you can never have enough and it happens to everyone. The difference comes in when you allow disappointment to define you then you find yourself in discontentment.
Therefore today Id like to challenge you to rejoice in all things and be contented.
God bless!
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