Weekend, February 3, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n Contentment Is Learned<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, \u201cI will never fail you. I will never abandon you.\u201d (Hebrews 13:5<\/a> NLT)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Often we think that contentment comes from what we have. We might even say, \u201cIf I just had this, then I would be content.\u201d Or \u201cIf I were a bit more intelligent\u201d or \u201cIf I were a bit better looking\u201d or \u201cIf I were a little more successful\u201d or \u201cIf I had a bit more money, then .\u00a0. .\u201d It\u2019s a never-ending pursuit of something that is always just beyond our grasp.<\/p>\n Yet in Philippians 4<\/a>, the apostle Paul revealed the secret of contentment. He said, \u201cI have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength\u201d (verses 12\u201313 NIV).\u00a0<\/p>\n Paul was in prison when he made that statement. He didn\u2019t receive his contentment from a theory in a classroom; it was from the school of life. He had experienced pleasure and pain, health and sickness, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty. To some he was a hero, and to others he was a villain. But he was someone who had found complete contentment.<\/p>\n Interestingly, Paul used the word \u201clearned.\u201d He had \u201clearned the secret of being content in any and every situation.\u201d In the original language, it was a word the pagans<\/a> generally used at the time to refer to some special attainment or an initiation into some hidden truth.<\/p>\n He used their word to essentially say, \u201cI\u2019ve found the hidden truth. I\u2019ve found the secret of contentment.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, the word Paul used for \u201ccontent\u201d means \u201cself-sufficient.\u201d Therefore, in the context of this epistle<\/a>, Paul was speaking of sufficiency in Christ. He was saying, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter where I am. I am content. I can be at the bottom of the bottom and be content there, because it is all about my relationship with God.\u201d<\/p>\n Contentment isn\u2019t based on what we have; it\u2019s is based on who we know. Hebrews 13:5<\/a> says, \u201cDon\u2019t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, \u2018I will never fail you. I will never abandon you\u2019 \u201d (NLT).<\/p>\n We often will quote the latter part of that verse, but let\u2019s also consider the entire statement. God is saying, \u201cBe satisfied with what you have because I never will fail you or abandon you.\u201d<\/p>\n God will be with us, no matter what we face in life. That is a great assurance. That is where we find our contentment.<\/p>\n As the psalmist David wrote, \u201cThe Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need\u201d (Psalm 23:1<\/a> NLT). If the Lord really is your Shepherd, then you will find satisfaction and fulfillment in Him. Therefore, if God blesses you with a lot, thank Him. And if you don\u2019t have as much as you would like, recognize that your contentment comes from a relationship with Him.<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s contentment came because of his close and intimate fellowship with Jesus. This lifted him above his circumstances and gave him the strength to deal with whatever came his way.<\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2024 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org<\/a><\/strong>![](\"https:\/\/media.swncdn.com\/via\/5363-67149-347375447mktgwebbannersalemmediaupdate-.jpg\")
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