God Is Bigger Than My Insecurities Series

3. Crush Your Worries Through Contentment

Philippians 4:13 is a favorite among young Christian athletes. I have seen this cited by high school athletes all the way to professional athletes. But this verse isn’t talking about my ability to lift 500 lbs. No, this verse is speaking of an inner strength.

3.1 Tim Tebow

Back in the 2008 college football season, Florida QB Tim Tebow place Scripture in eye black right under his eyes during the games. When he placed John 3:16 in eye black during the BCS championship game that year some 94 million people googled the verse. As psychologist Robert Leahy points out, “The average child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s.” Kids have more toys, clothes, and opportunities than ever, but by the time they leave home, they are wrapped tighter than Egyptian mummies.

But throughout the regular season, Tebow placed a different verse, Phil 4:13 under his eyes. I like how Tebow himself said it, “The verse is actually about contentedness in all circumstances. It’s not about being able to throw a better pass or make a better play on the football field. It’s about being content with the victory secured through Christ whether you can even lift a football, much less throw one fifty or sixty yards like me.”

Philippians 4:13 is speaking about the strength the Lord gives His children to be content. See the thought from verses eleven through twelve carries through right into verse 13: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

God gives me the ability to be content in every kind of life situation and I do this by the strength God gives me.

3.2 John Lennox and Mathematics Teacher from Hungry

Many years ago, John Lennox, an Oxford Professor of Mathematics, was in Hungary where he met a man whose demeanor impressed him greatly. In John’s own words, he said he was “…a humble man of great grace and warmth.” Eager to hear his story, John relates the following:

In the communist era he had been a village-school mathematics teacher, but he was also active in the local churches in the area, much in demand as a teacher of Scripture. One day he was summoned to the police station and questioned about his employment.

“You are a math teacher,” they said, “but you are also a Bible teacher, is not that so?”

“Yes, indeed,” he said, “I do that in my spare time.”

“And you get paid for it?” they asked.

“Not at all,” he said, “it is my contribution completely freely given.”

“We do not believe you,” they replied. “You must therefore choose. Either you continue as a school teacher or as a Bible teacher but not both, and you must give us your decision very soon.”

He went home that night to his family with a heavy heart. He had a large family, and it was not easy to feed them all, yet he decided to discuss the matter with them. He called them together and said, “I never want you children to be able to say that they were not consulted by their father in big decisions affecting family life.” So he outlined to them the choice he faced. What should he do?