Dear Church,
Paul makes an astounding claim in Philippians 4:11, he says “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. Paul says he has “learned” contentment. Meaning he had to be trained in something he did not have before. None of us are by nature content people. So, what does it mean to be content? To be content means you don’t need more to be happy – you are happy where you are right now, with what God has given you. It means where you are in life now, is where God placed you. If you do not contend where God has placed you now, you may not be content in a different place. We live in a broken world, and nothing is perfect: there is always something wrong somewhere. To be content in life does not mean that we should not have any goals or dreams. God wants us to have godly ambitions.
Again, contentment means we are happy “whatever the circumstances”. Whatever life throws at us we choose to be content. One of the sure ways to learn contentment is by slowing down in life. If we are serious about slowing down, don’t start with your schedule, start with (from) your heart. Lack of contentment is a heart problem rather than a scheduling problem. Start with intentional time with God. Then God becomes the source of our contentment. Remember, our Joy in Him is our contentment.
Be Encouraged,
Mathews