Content In All Things

Learning to be content regardless of your circumstances is possible.

My life’s verse is Philippians 4:11.

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Learning contentment in every circumstance seems impossible to some.

Rachelle and I have a friend headed to an oncologist today for cancer tests. Our friend doesn’t know if “you have cancer” or “the tests are negative” are the words she’ll hear.

Our Christian friend can learn to be content regardless of the words she hears.

I read an online article stating that over 85% of Americans are stressed about their retirement plans.

A Christian with little to no money set aside for retirement can learn to be content.

A grandfather sent me a text message asking about the war in the Middle East and said, “I fear for my grandkids.”

It’s possible for a Christian not to fear the future and to learn to be content no matter what tomorrow holds

I could go on with examples, but all you have to do is think about your life right now.

How do we learn to be content when we find ourselves in situations that stress us out and cause us to panic or fear?

Let’s learn the art of Christian contentment from Philippians 4:11.

Words Matter

Three words in Philippians 4:11 need a little further examination.

1. Learned - (Greek emathon). This is the Greek word from which we get our English word math. Contentment involves a process of learning. It doesn’t happen overnight. A student doesn’t take a pill and magically understand calculus. Learning something is the foundation of Christian contentment.

   Contentment in all situations requires thinking, solving, and unlocking.

2. Content - (Greek autarkes). This Greek word means “self (auto)-satisfied (arkes)..” An automobile is a “self-moving” vehicle. A contented person is self-satisfied and doesn’t need “happy circumstances” to be content.

   For most people, “Happiness happens when happenstances happen to be happy.”

   But when you learn contentment, happiness is independent of your circumstances.

   The root of autarkes (arke) is the same root for the Greek word markerios, the Greek word translated as blessed or happy in the Beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 5).

   Contentment is internal self-satisfaction.

   3. Circumstances - the word isn’t there in the original text. The English word “circumstances” (NIV, NASB, RSV), “state” (KJV), or “situation” (LB) is provided by the English translators. It’s not in the Greek. Paul literally writes:

I have learned to be content with who I am.

I must learn “who am I” before I can “learn to be content” in all circumstances.

WHO Am I?