For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

4:11   Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Contentment.

In the advertising industry a contented customer is anathema. For a customer to be content means the wallet stays shut. They deal in providing us a constant diet of discontentment.

Contentment.

In the Christian life, contentment is not a natural state of being. It is not a fruit of the Spirit, or a gift that is provided to the believer. Paul says he has learned to be content.

He may have been without contentment at a time, like the Israeli’s who sought after the onions and leeks of the Egyption salvery they lived under.

But after years of ministry, and miles of travel, Paul says he has learned to be content.

But what is it to be content? Is contentment a feeling, a sense of well being, a feeling of peace? Might it be a state of being in which you are satisfied with your current life situation?

Contentment is more than a simple feeling that may come over us at times of peace. It is a learned behavior that, I fear in our culture especially, is constantly being challenged.

In our next verse, Paul speaks of different circumstances he faced that were opportunities to learn contentment. I am tempted to write on those things in this post, but am content to close with a simple challenge.

Are you content in the Lord?

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