How To Be Content With Life
Life tends to take us in so many different directions that it can be difficult to be content. One minute we are low and the next minute we are high. We can go from a great situation to a horrible situation at the drop of a hat. With so many ups and downs throughout life, how can we be content with life?
We think that if things calm down and we get to a certain point in our life then that’s when we will finally be content with life. But is that true?
The apostle Paul in the Bible, tells us that he actually learned how to be content with life no matter what situation or circumstance he was in.
11 …I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
(Philippians 4:11)
He even goes on to say that he learned to be content when he was in need but also when he had plenty (Philippians 4:12).
I think most of us understand the need to learn to be content when things aren’t going our way, but why would we need to learn to be content when things are going our way?
Well, evidently, getting to a certain point in our lives where our situations and circumstances are better don’t actually provide contentment!
LEARNING TO BE CONTENT IN PLENTY
I was listening to a podcast this week where a highly successful person was being interviewed. She admitted that no matter what she began to accomplish, she was never content.
She would gain followers on social media only to see that someone else had more. Then she’d think, “Well, if I could just get to where they are at, I’d be content.” When she got to that level, once again, she’d notice that someone else had even more and the pursuit of catching them was on. It was a cycle that just continued, no matter how many followers she had.
My guess is that you’ve found this to be true in your life as well. When you finally arrived at a certain place in your life, it didn’t ultimately satisfy like you thought it would. It never does.
That’s why the apostle Paul said that he had to learn to be content even when things were going well. We must learn to be content because there is something in our flesh that always makes us feel like we’ll be more content if we can just get to a point further down the road of life.
We must learn that contentment is found in Jesus and in Jesus alone. Paul said earlier in Philippians 1:21 that for him, to live is Christ! The same is true for us as well.
LEARNING TO BE CONTENT IN NEED
Not only must we learn to be content when we have more and life is going well, we must also learn to be content when we are in need or when things are not going our way. We all go through tough times, but some of us more so than others and to a greater degree.
The apostle Paul faced that in his life. We see in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that Paul suffered from what he called a thorn in his side. Whatever it was, it was so bad that Paul said Satan used it to torment him.
Paul was suffering. He must have been suffering severely if he was being tormented.
As a result, Paul pleaded with God. He urged and begged Him to take it away (2 Cor. 12:8).
God did not. Instead, He replied by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:9)
He was teaching Paul contentment. Paul didn’t need this thorn to be taken away to be content. He had what he needed in Jesus to be content, but he had to learn that.
In Philippians 4, Paul says that he did learn it. You and I must learn it as well. God must allow us to go through difficult things sometimes to teach us that Jesus is our contentment. His grace is sufficient for you.
HOW TO BE CONTENT IN LIFE
Contentment does not come from getting out of bad situations and circumstances and arriving at a certain place in life.
That is a lie. A lie that comes from the Deceiver who doesn’t want us to find true contentment in Jesus. He knows that the abundant life and contentment we crave is ultimately found in a Person, but he deceives us into thinking it comes from achievement, acquisition of more stuff, or favorable circumstances in our life.
So, to be content in life, you and I must fix our minds on Jesus and what we have in Him. Just prior to Paul saying that he had to learn to be content, he was teaching the Philippians how to experience peace in their lives by presenting every situation to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7).
But Paul goes on to show them and us that it is not just turning over our situations to God but focusing on what is true, noble, right, excellent, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8).
When our circumstances are not good, we turn them over to God and ask Him to change them, but we fix our minds on what is true, excellent, and praiseworthy that we have in Him (abundant life, peace, eternal life, etc.). We focus on all the other good things He has blessed us with in this life as well. That is how we experience contentment in our lives when things are not going well.
But we also do the same thing when things are going well. We fix our minds on Jesus because He’s allowed us to be in that place in our life. We fix our minds on Him because we know that even though things are good, that the Deceiver and our flesh will try to convince us that we now need even more.
This is how to be content in life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4:4-13)