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"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
(Philippians 4:8)
This week in our devotions, I will be sharing lessons on contentment. God has used His Word to speak to me powerfully and help me in this important aspect of my relationship with Christ. I have been greatly blessed by Philippians 4. My prayer is that what I share this week will also bless your life and your walk with Christ. Contentment is a rare Christian jewel that provides a wonderful blessing and freedom for all who possess it.
One of the most widely known and quoted verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13. The context is contentment, and Paul wrote these famous words while in prison in Rome! Amazing. Paul is telling us he can do all things through Jesus, and that includes even being content! We will look at this verse within its context in Philippians 4. I love verse 8, as it is key in understanding how to be content in Christ. As we meditate on that which is good, it keeps our mind out of the gutters of doubt, worry, complaining, and fear.
The opposite of being content is discontentment, which is a temptation we all face. To be content is to be joyful; to be discontent is to be worried. To be content is to be at peace; to be discontent is to be annoyed. To be content is to be hopeful, helpful, and happy; to be discontent is to be without hope, unhappy, and unhelpful. To be content is to forgive; to be discontent is not to forgive. To be content is to be satisfied; to be discontent is to be deeply dissatisfied.
Which one of these more characterizes your life? We will always have that temptation to desire more. Even oil titan and tycoon John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world at the time, when asked how much is enough, answered, "A little bit more."
How do we prepare the soil of our souls for the good crop of contentment? We need to do what Paul says in Philippians 4:8-9: meditate on the good, and do that which is right. I have committed Philippians 4:6-8 to memory, and every morning in my quiet time, as I put on the full armor of God, I quote this passage of Scripture. Meditate, logizomai (present tense, middle voice, imperative mood in Greek, "you yourself meditate on the good"), means to deliberate, count, and fix your mind on. We should not waste our mental energy on being fixated on something negative or worrisome. It drains the life out of us. Of course, when there is an issue that needs addressing, a problem needing to be solved at work or in your home or church, mental energy needs to be given as you work toward a solution. But that is not what Paul has in mind here. I think he is telling us that in everyday life, as we win the battle in our minds, we do so by focusing on the positive and not the negative. My wife Ashley likes to say, "Let's have a half-full glass mentality today."
Buckle up and get your spiritual seat-belt tightened, because what we will talk about this week is challenging, but I assure you, the challenge and conviction are so very worth it. To be content in Christ in every situation in life is a marvelous and peaceful way to live life on earth.
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