Contentment is not a relinquishing of the natural drive we all have to succeed in life and/or career. In other words, contentment is not about becoming lazy, slothful, or dormant. It is not about happily being underachieving slackers who fool themselves into believing that being so is actually righteous and peaceful. No! Contentment is not about killing future hopes and dreams! It’s not about being complacent about the important things in life either. Contentment is about embracing the present moment we all actually live in. It’s about embracing the people, places, and good things that we have been given right now. In fact, we cannot move into our future’s creativity and dreams until we authentically embrace our present.
We all have much in life that we still want to experience and accomplish. This is a good thing! We all have dreams and desires about school, marriage, recreation and vocation. Those are good things too!
Deep contentment does not mean we stop dreaming; deep contentment means that we dream while we embrace all that we already have been given.
The Apostle Paul has much to say about being content in his letter to the Christians in Philippi.
On his second missionary journey to parts of the Roman Empire, the Apostle Paul helped start a new church in the city of Philippi. The people of that church became lifelong friends and supporters of Paul. When they heard that he had been taken to Rome as a prisoner, they collected money to assist him and sent it with one of their members – a man named Epaphroditus – who then stayed in Rome to help take care of Paul. Epaphroditus, however, became seriously ill in Rome and nearly died. So, after Paul nursed Epaphroditus back to health, he sent him back to Philippi with a letter that we now know as Philippians.
The Philippi letter is all about joy – sustainable joy – in spite of our changing circumstances. Joy and contentment is the dominant theme. So, in spite of Paul’s imprisonment, and looming execution, and the growing opposition the church in Philippi is facing, Paul encourages everyone to be filled with the deep joy and contentment that is their partnership in the Gospel.
So, the apostle, in his closing parts of this letter to the church at Philippi, writes:
Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done …
Worry. How much do we worry today! We have so much to worry about, don’t we? We worry about terrorism, unemployment, the opinions of others, our children, our houses, and weather or not we’ll find that special person with whom we can spend the rest of our lives. We worry about things that are beyond our control. What does worrying get us? What does it accomplish, really? Nothing.
Our excessive worrying does not accomplish a thing. Does this mean we should not be concerned about various things? No! Paul says when you are concerned, rather than vainly worrying, pray about it! Instead of worrying take your concerns to God in prayer. Jesus is even more graphic. He says “Look at these lilies in the field. They neither spin, nor toil. Yet, God has adorned them with such splendor that not even Solomon’s temple compares. How much more important are we in our Father’s eyes than these simple lilies?” Worrying, spinning, and toiling accomplishes nothing.
That said, again, I have to say that this does not mean we do nothing. No. We strive towards goals and visions and a better way of being while all the while holding onto the peace that is only found in deep contentment.
Philippians 4:10-13 How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.
Paul obviously has never heard of the “Prosperity Gospel” that sells so well on popular Christian TV. Why do I say so? Because there are obvious times when Paul has much and there are times when he has very little. He says so himself in this portion of verses. There is a huge lesson in there for us too! You see for Paul, contentment is not about having much or having little; he experienced both over the course of his life. Contentment was, for Paul, about being at peace in times of plenty and times of great need. It’s about being thankful in whatever moment we are living in at any given time.
Contentment is not limited to times of plenty. Is it? No! Paul was content in great times of need too.
Philippians 4:19-20 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now glory be to God our Father forever and ever. Amen.
Paul always has a point to his musings. “Look at me,” he says. “Do you see how I am content whether I have much or little? I’m content because God is taking care of me. This same God who cares for me, and gives me strength, peace, and contentment, will do the same thing for all of you!”
Can we honestly claim contentment? Are we as content in times of need as we are in times of plenty? Do we pray and let goof our worry, or do we carry our needs around with us until they become heavy, burdensome chores? If so, then perhaps we should take the sacred call of scripture to let it go more seriously? We can work hard towards a better future and be deeply content while we do so. In fact, I’m pretty sure we would be striving blindly otherwise.