Opportunity Knocks, Part 4

Why is there such discontentment in the Body of Christ? It seems that so many are not content. Let’s look at Philippians 4:10-13:

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Now there is something to be said for wanting to pursue success and not stagnate; I’m not necessarily talking about that. I believe we are to progress in life, and we are to go forward with a high level of gusto. We’re to live life to the fullest. But I have also learned that there is something to be said about learning to be content no matter what state we’re in, knowing that it’s only a season, and seasons come and go. Part of our success is learning to be content no matter what state we’re in. Sometimes I think that we put ourselves in a state of misery. And we sentence ourselves to that state because we fail to be content no matter what situation we’re in. Thus our life becomes a hotbed of misery, frustration, and malcontent.

And if we’re not careful, it affects everyone around us: not only ourselves. Paul says in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in regard to need for I’ve learned in whatever state I am to be content.” He’s not saying that it doesn’t matter to him if he has food to eat or a place to sleep, but he’s learned to be content, understanding that God is with him no matter what situation he finds himself in.

I can say this regarding my own life: I’ve lived in tin shacks in Haiti where it’s 110º; I’ve lived with no electricity or indoor plumbing, and I was just as content in that situation as I am now that I live in a beautiful home. Contentment ought not be based upon what we have. That is the world’s way of thinking, and it’s become pervasive in the Church as well. Christians often base their contentment on what they have. “If I could only have this, or only have that. If I could have enough money to do this, if I had enough money to pay my bills, I’d be content.” No, you wouldn’t!

I used to think the same thing. Now I’d be happy to give away a million dollars. Bill Gates committed to give a billion dollars to charity. Guess what? He is not worried about whether his mortgage is going to be made this month. God doesn’t want us concerned with whether or not we’re going to be able to pay our bills. That is a state of frustration and discontentment. Chill. You need to chill. You need to trust and obey. Look around you. Hear the voice of the Lord. God may be saying, “What do you have”? We keep telling God what we don’t have. We tell Him our perceived need. The problem is that when we do get it, we’re still not content. Why? Because our need is much greater than things. Our need is greater than stuff. Our need is Him, and when we find Him and grow in His knowledge, we come to understand He’s already provided all that we need.

This leads to a greater sense of contentment. We are discontent because we have our eyes on things. Paul says in Philippians 4:12, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. And in everywhere and in all things I’ve learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” It makes no difference. And then he says the now infamous Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Here’s the point, and I believe that it is at least part of the essence of that passage. When Paul says he can do all things, it doesn’t mean that he could physically do every single thing. What it does mean is that he could do everything that God had created him to do. Why? Because Paul understood that everything he needed in order to do what God created him to do was already his. It had already been made available to him. He simply needed to know how to turn on the tap.

And that’s where many of God’s people are missing it today. They’re not walking in the overflow because they don’t think they can do all things. Christ enables us to do all things. You are able to do everything that God has called you to do. He has already seen to it when He made available to us all things pertaining to life and godliness. Now it’s either true, or it’s not! He’s either given us all things, or He’s a liar. If He says he has given us all things pertaining to life, then it’s there. It’s mine. It’s available to me. I just need to be able to get it from the unseen realm into the seen realm. And I don’t do that by fear and discontent; I do it by faith, through trusting and obeying Him.

~PG