Learning to be Content

We’re in our final sermon on Philippians. Perhaps next week we’ll do a summary of the letter as a whole in a kind of round-up of the book, but today we’re looking at the closing of the letter, where Paul writes about contentment.

And in such a short number of verses, Paul has touched on something astronomical.

Paul has learned the secret of being content…and this is something that we need to look at for a minute - for more than a minute actually. This whole sermon is going to be focused on this very thing - what it means to be content.

Many people think that they will be content if their circumstances change - that their contentment is linked to their circumstances.

Many people think that they will be content if they are wealthy. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone has an element of that thinking. Even I do.

When finances are a daily struggle and I’m thinking to myself, ‘I don’t know if I can afford this Chinese takeaway’ the temptation is to think, ‘If only I had more money. If only I had enough to be comfortable.’

I don’t want millions of pounds, although that would be lovely - I just want enough to pay the bills and be able to buy a hamburger without feeling guilty that I can’t afford it.

Is there anything wrong with that? In some ways, no…but in other ways, yes, there IS something wrong with that.

I just said that having millions of pounds would be lovely, but would it be? How many times have you heard of lottery winners whose lives have spiralled into chaos because they have so much money. And more often than not, the phrase you hear is, ‘I was happier when I was broke.’ Or, “I was happier before I won the lottery.”

So perhaps having money ISN’T all that great. Or to put it another way - perhaps having a lot of money WON’T bring us satisfaction or contentment.

Look at many of the celebrities who have fame and fortune and yet they are miserable. They have all the money they want and could have anything they want - they can DO anything they want… ‘I can do ALL THINGS through the money I have’... and yet they aren’t happy. And then they go into drugs to escape the reality of this life and that can end up in overdose and tragic death.

So money, success, fame doesn’t lead to contentment. In fact, it seems that the more we have, the more we want.

And yet a big part of me still says, “I’d like to try it.”

Why is that? The reason why is because I haven’t fully grasped the secret that Paul had.

Paul gave thanks that the Philippian church were concerned for him and they gave to him…although they didn’t always have the opportunity to give to him. But they partnered with him in supporting Paul in his ministry.

This is something that all churches should be doing. I’d even go as far as to say MUST be doing. We need to partner with missionaries around the world and supporting them financially, prayerfully and practically. It’s what United Appeal is about.

We need to support other churches who are struggling. This is a biblical principle and a mandate that we must follow.

But Paul, while he was thankful for their gift, he didn’t need it...

Philippians 4:11–12 NIV

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.

Now, stop here for a second - there are 2 Greek words that have been translated as, ‘need’ in our passage. There is the word in verse 11 that I’ve just read.

The other word for ‘need’ is at the end of verse 16 and in verse 19, when Paul says...

Philippians 4:16 NIV

16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.

Philippians 4:19 NIV

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Now, we need to understand the difference between these two words. And to help us understand this difference, I want you to imagine you’re putting up a shelf....

You have a load of shelves and a load of brackets, and you’re struggling with the screwdriver. It’s hard work and you’re exhausted. And you say to your husband or wife (let’s not be sexist)…You know what I need...I NEED one of those power screwdrivers. You have a screwdriver that works fine, but you would really like a power screwdriver.

But let’s say you’ve no screwdriver at all. You would say to your husband or wife, I NEED a screwdriver. This is a different need. Without the screwdriver you can’t do the job at all. You can’t even start the job.

It’s the difference between desired need and required need.

The desired need says, ‘I really would like a power screwdriver.’

The required need says, ‘I can’t do my job without a screwdriver.’

In verse 11 is the desired need. Paul says, ‘you gave to me, but I wasn’t in need - I had enough to do my job and I wasn’t WANTING more money.’

In verses 16 and 19 is the required need. Paul says in verse 16, ‘you sent me aid when I was in need.’ And the Greek word there means, ‘I couldn’t have done my job without your aid.’

And in verse 19 Paul says that God will supply all your needs - all that you need to do what God requires of you. He’s not saying that God will supply the power screwdriver, but he WILL give you a screwdriver in order for you to be able to do what he wants you to do.

Now let’s look at these one by one...desired need and required need. Something that I would really LIKE to have, but don’t need, and something I really NEED to have…because this helps us understand the secret of contentment.

Pause

Let’s look at the first one...

Desired need

Paul says I had enough to do my job and I wasn’t wanting more money because I have learned to be content in every situation.

He’s been wanting at times and he’s been in plenty - in abundance. He’s experienced both the poverty and the riches, but he has learned to be content.

He’s learned it.

It hasn’t come to him in a flash - he’s learned it, over time and experience, he’s learned to be content.

And he goes on to say he’s learned the SECRET of being content.

And what is this secret?

The secret is in verse 19… God might not give us our desired needs, but he will supply all our required needs. And because he does that, Paul can say in verse 13...

That he can do all things through the one who gives him strength - the one being Jesus Christ.

Pause

Let’s go back to basics… We live in a sinful world and we are sinful people. Let’s not be proud people - we’re sinful, we’re fallen.

And in our fallen state we think that satisfaction comes from our circumstances, like I said earlier...’If only I have more money, I’ll be content and satisfied.’ Let me rephrase it… ‘You know what I need...I NEED more money. Then I’ll be satisfied’ - desired need - we have enough money, but we think we need more.

Or, ‘if only I have that bigger house, I’ll be satisfied.’ Let me rephrase it… ‘You know what I need...I NEED that bigger house. Then I’ll be satisfied.’ - desired need. Our houses are big enough, but we THINK we need a bigger house.

Or the better job, better career…and in society look at all the cosmetic surgery that’s going on across the world - the botox, the implants, the tans. If we’re honest with ourselves, all this is striving for contentment. And we’re NOT content until we get there…but even when we GET there there’s something else that we THINK we NEED to change.

Because we determine satisfaction and contentment from our circumstances.

And let’s face it, that’s exhausting. It’s a constant uphill battle - it’s like running on a treadmill; exhausting yourself trying to change things and ending up going NOWHERE. Any wonder the celebrities with all the money and resource are the ones who are so unhappy? It’s because they HAVE the money to make the changes, and they MAKE the changes and they realise that the changes they’ve made are not making them content.

They are the ones who realise that contentment doesn’t come from our circumstances, because they’ve been there - they’ve made the changes and it hasn’t brought them satisfaction. Sadly, a lot of them aren’t aware of where exactly contentment comes from.

And the reason why is because contentment comes from Jesus Christ.

A common phrase when I was growing up was that there is a Christ-shaped hole in everyone. And only Christ can fit that hole, but we try to fill it with everything else - money, success, stuff, surgeries…but they don’t fit that hole - only Jesus fits the hole in our lives.

And that’s what we need to change. We need to separate our satisfaction and contentment from our circumstances. Unlink them…Because we think they’re connected, but they’re not.

Our circumstances DO NOT determine whether or not we are satisfied…or at least, they SHOULD NOT.

We should be able to be the poorest person and be satisfied. Why? Because we KNOW that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, and because we know that while God might not supply all our desired needs, he WILL supply all our required needs.

We should be able to be the richest person and be satisfied and not wanting even MORE money. Why? Because we KNOW that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, and because we know that God WILL supply all our required needs - and since he’s blessed us with more, we can use that to be a blessing to others - we can give it away and be a blessing to others because we know that God will supply all our needs.

And in both of those situations, the focus ISN’T on the money - the lack of it or the abundance of it…the focus is on Christ and serving him, and investing in his kingdom.

In other words - and this is the crux of the matter - In every situation, Jesus Christ will give us the strength, the ability and the resources to do whatever it is HE wants us to do.

The difficulty arises when we are trying to do what WE want to do.

But to be able to think like that requires the mind of Christ. It requires us not to be conformed to this world, as Paul says in Romans 12, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We need to have our minds renewed in order to separate contentment from circumstances and to realise that true contentment and satisfaction comes from when we are in Christ - in the centre of his will.

We talk about the sovereignty of God - well, if God is sovereign, then wherever we are in our circumstances is EXACTLY where God wants us to be. That’s how Paul could rejoice in a prison cell. That’s how he could be content with nothing or in abundance.

So when our minds are renewed then we are more able to give up our OWN DESIRED need and instead to focus on our REQUIRED need - and our required need is whatever Jesus requires us to do.

And if we have extra, we can give some of it away and be the agent that God uses to provide the required need for someone else.

Pause

Let’s look at Required need...

Required Need

You see, Paul WAS in need at one time. Look at verses 15-16...

Philippians 4:15–16 NIV

15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.

This is different to desired need - this was a need that Paul had to do his job and the Philippian church partnered with him and helped him financially. Like I said earlier, this is something that every church should be doing - partnering with missionaries who are spreading the gospel, or partnering with other churches in the presbytery or in Ireland who need help.

Some churches have loads of money and are doing nothing with it. Some PEOPLE have loads of money and are doing nothing for the Lord with it. And EVERYBODY has some money - question is, how much are we giving to the Lord?

How are we partnering with God’s work around the world and in this country? As individuals and as a church?

And I know, maybe some of us here can’t afford much. I know I certainly could do with having an extra £300 in my bank every month.

But I give that to the church because I’m going to let you into a little secret of contentment...

The Philippian church gave Paul gifts - they helped him financially. In fact, they were the only ones who did so. And Paul rejoiced in that - not because he was wanting the gift - what made him happy was the fact that he KNEW that by giving this money to Paul, the church themselves would be better off. By giving their money away to support the work of the Lord, they would be blessed. Look at verse 17...

Philippians 4:17 NIV

17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.

What Paul is NOT saying is that I’d rather you didn’t send your gift to me - you should have kept it in the bank. What he is saying is that BECAUSE you gave to me you’ll be credited with MORE in your account.

Now, can we trust that? That’s what I trust every month when I give my tithe to the church. And every month I think, “I could do with this in my bank account,” but EVERY month I am not short. I have everything I NEED - (required need).

Back to required need. It’s the same word in verse 19...

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

By partnering with someone - by giving our money, our resources and so on to the Lord’s work, what happens is that God will never EVER see us short. He will meet ALL our needs....all our REQUIRED needs.

We might not get the power screwdriver, but we’ll get a screwdriver in order to be able to do what Jesus requires us to do…but will we be satisfied with that? Will we be content with that?

Well, it all depends on what we think our lives are about.

But if we’re living our lives for ourselves we’ll never get what we want and we’ll never be content.

But if we are walking in the strength of Jesus then we’ll be satisfied with that. If our minds are renewed then we’ll remember that whatever our circumstances, Jesus is in control and we’ll be content with that.

If our goal in life is to glorify God and do his will then we can be sure that God will supply all our needs - our required needs - the needs required to live a life of glorifying God…AND WE WILL BE SATISFIED AND CONTENT WITH THAT.

But, if our goal in life is to be comfortable or successful or wealthy, then we’ll never be satisfied, because God doesn’t always supply our desired needs, he supplies our required needs.

Pause

Put it like this - if we live for Christ and have the mind of Christ, we will be satisfied and content no matter what…if we strive for contentment and satisfaction, we’ll never find it outside of Jesus Christ. We’ll never be happy.

If you are unsatisfied with life or your circumstances, perhaps you are striving for satisfaction in the wrong place. Can you humble yourself, as Paul says in chapter 2, and have the mind of Christ?

Because the only way to be satisfied in every circumstance is to lean on the Lord - to do ALL things through him who gives you HIS strength. But the only way to lean on the Lord is let go of yourself…and that takes humility.

For me to lean on something I have to stop standing myself.

And pride is what gets in the way of humility. Pride is what gets in the way of us letting go of our lives and our money. We’d often rather keep striving for contentment our own way and end up NEVER being satisfied rather than humble ourselves and lean on the Lord or depend on him.

Do we have the faith that God can supply all our needs according to his riches in glory? Do we?

James says that faith without works is dead. So the best ways to show that you have that faith is to let go.

Let go of yourself - let go of your life and live for Jesus. Let go of your desired need and let Jesus supply all your required need, so that everything you get, you’ll know, ‘this is what Jesus wants me to have.’

And practically, it requires us to let go of our money - Give God what is due him - individually, but also as a church.

And that’s why we give of our own money and resources, because by giving we’re breaking the bond that money has on us and we’re putting our trust in God, as individuals and as a church.

Pause

God will supply all our required needs, individually and corporately - and God is gloriously rich. And if we give to others, God will not see us short ourselves.

This requires faith and it requires a change of mind - that satisfaction comes from Jesus Christ and not from our circumstances. Contentment comes from Jesus Christ and not from our bank balance.

Because we can do ANYTHING…ALL THINGS though him who strengthens us!

What we need is a change of mind - to be able to separate contentment from our circumstances and to find our satisfaction and contentment in the Lord. When we do that we’ll have everything we NEED.

Let’s pray.