Whatever You Have Series

President Ronald Reagan one time told the story of when he was a teenager, he needed a new pair of boots made. In those days, you couldn’t just go to a shoe store, you went to the shoemaker shop.

The cobbler asked the young man- “Do you want blunt end toes or pointed end toes?”

Reagan shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t care, whatever you think.”

When the boots were ready, Reagan examined his new boots and looked at the toes. One of them was flat, the other boot was pointed.

Reagan said, “How can I wear a pair of boots like this?” The cobbler said, “You said do whatever you want… you didn’t care.”

From that day on, Ronald Reagan said “If you don’t make a decision about the things that matter the most to you, somebody else is going to make them for you.”

If you live your life in the “whatever” mode… like nothing matters, then don’t be disappointed when you don’t see God directing your path.

Welcome back to week #3 of our series, “Whatever”. We’ve learned that when Jesus says, “Whatever”… it’s different. It’s authoritative.

So far, we have taken a look at 1 Corinthians 10:31 where Paul says, “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God.”

Last week, we talked about John 14:14 where Jesus said, “whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.” And this week we turn our attention to this incredible chapter in Philippians where Paul says…

…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

Whatever I have… I’m good! That’s a hard place to get. This might be the hardest of all the “Whatever’s” that we will discuss. Especially because of this first reason.

1. Contentment is learned, it’s not automatic.

In our Scripture today, you’ll notice that Paul says, “I have learned to be content”. Notice that Paul didn’t say, “I was born content.”

He also didn’t say… “you know what, I just woke up one morning and I was all of a sudden content.”

He knew something that every individual has to figure out at some point… contentment is something that is learned.

In other words, it took some work. It took some spiritual discipline for me to get to the point where I was content. It’s something that takes some time and some effort.

Have you ever watched a toddlers play with toys? You can give one child 20 toys. They will ignore nineteen of them…

and immediately grab the one toy another child is holding.

Suddenly that toy becomes the most important object in the universe. And when the other child won’t give it up… what happens? Absolute meltdown.

Because discontent is something we are born with. You don’t have to teach children to complain. Nobody ever sits down with a child and says,

“Now listen carefully buddy… today I’m going to teach you how to whine.” They just know. Discontent comes naturally.

But contentment it has to be learned.

Someone once said: “If money bought contentment, rich people would never complain.”

But have you ever noticed… People with a little money complain.

People with a lot of money complain. People with fame complain.

People with success complain.

Because the issue is this… it’s not how much you have…

the issue is what your heart expects life to give you.

Paul says: “I have learned.”

And I think what he meant by this was that this lesson that he learned likely came through life experiences.

Paul had experienced hardships in his life. Paul had experienced loss through the years. And when he went through those seasons he discovered something incredibly powerful: God was enough.

2. Contentment is independent of circumstances

Paul goes on to say this in verse 12… 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.

In other words: Paul says, “I’ve experienced both sides.”

I’ve had plenty. I’ve had nothing. And I learned something important… Contentment doesn’t live in circumstances.

Have you ever said this before? “I’ll be happy when…”

I’ll be happy when I get that promotion.

I’ll be happy when I get married.

I’ll be happy when the kids are older.

I’ll be happy when I retire.

But the problem is…

Every time you reach that place… A new “when” appears.

Years ago, Theodore Roosevelt famously said…

“Comparison is the thief of Joy.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Comparison sneaks into our spiritual lives too?

For example… You start the morning off by doing a devotion. Maybe you read the morning devo’s that I send out each week and you’re pretty pumped.

But then… you scroll through social media and see that other person… you know… the one that’s practically auditioning for a Bible movie.