Following Jesus with Your Finances
Part 3 – The Value of Contentment
Philippians 4:10-14
March 20, 2011
Me: One of the issues that pastors face when talking about money is many of us are afraid that that no matter what we say, it will be taken as just another way of trying to get into your wallets and checkbooks.
And your board members will tell you that this is what I struggle with.
So as I was praying about this message, I kept asking God what I could address so that we can get the message of good stewardship across and yet not get bogged down into a tug-of-war on our bank accounts.
And I felt God saying, “Brian, talk to them about being content. That the obsession with gaining more for the sake of having more is not good, and it doesn’t reflect the peace I want them so desperately to have.
“Don’t talk about giving, don’t talk about tithing, don’t talk about their treasure being where their heart is, or any of that stuff.
Talk to them about the idea that I’ve got their back, and they can be content with what I’ve supplied for them and will continue to supply.
So I’m like, “Cool!”
And one of the reasons it was cool was because it’s one of the lessons God has taught me a lot over the past few years.
I’m like everyone else – I could stand a little more money, a little less stress financially.
But God has shown me that I can count on Him – in every circumstance. And I’ve had a few, believe me!
We: We are told by society and even by some preachers that we should never be content, and that if we’re not always chasing a buck, then something must be wrong with us.
And while we should do all we can to provide for our families and such, we need to be careful that that doesn’t turn into an obsession.
The fact is that as we allow God to have full reign in our lives, God meets our needs and allows us to experience something that few people in our world – and our society – can experience, and that is contentment.
I don’t know about you, but the idea that I don’t have to live under the same stresses that most folks have to live under regarding money is a very good thing.
So let’s look at how that can happen, okay?
God: Philippians 4:10-14 (p. 832) –
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 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. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Some background:
Paul was under house arrest in Rome, the imprisonment mentioned at the end of the book of Acts.
By this time, Paul had gone from being a rising star among the religious leaders and a leading persecutor of the church of Jesus, to the leading church planter of the early church, and the recipient of the same persecution he had been dishing out all those years ago.
And as this passage has pointed out, he had seen the good and the bad of life, and in particular, had known what it had been like to have enough to meet his needs, and not having enough.
Paul says that he knows what it’s like to have enough and not have enough.
He says in verse 12 –
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 if a guy who can’t leave his home without an armed guard can be content in every situation, then why can’t 21st Century Christians, especially here in the most prosperous country in the entire world?
Well, the good news is that we can. And Paul gives us some clues on how that can happen for us.
Three lessons we can learn about contentment.
1. Contentment starts with gratitude.
Verse 10 –
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me.
Paul starts by stating how grateful he is that the Philippians had had the opportunity to help Paul in the situation he was in.
Being a prisoner in Rome, Paul actually had to pay the rent for the home he “lived” in, as well as paying for the guards that he was required to have.
But Paul sees something bright in the midst of his trials. He sees God providing for his needs. And he rejoices.
You can’t be content unless you’re thankful, for what you already have.
That makes sense, right?
If you’re always complaining about what you don’t have, then you’re not showing thankfulness.
When you focus on what you don’t have instead of what you do have, then thankfulness won’t enter the picture, and you’ll never know contentment.
Contentment and gratitude go hand-in-hand. You can’t have one without the other.
The first step toward learning to be content is to be grateful for what you do have.
The second lesson we can learn from Paul about contentment is that….
2. Contentment comes with recognition that God knows your circumstances.
Paul is aware that God is aware of what’s going on in his life right now.
This is why he can say with confidence that he can do everything through he needs to do, in spite of his circumstances.
He knew that at any time he could be handed a death sentence, and not once in this whole letter did he get down.
He was fully aware that God was fully aware of where he was and what he was facing.
He knew that God was the reason the Philippians were once again able to give Paul some help with the expenses of his imprisonment.
Folks, one of the reasons Christians get so uptight about money and such is that they don’t really believe – deep down in their soul – that God knows or cares enough to help them.
And that’s simply not true. God knows your circumstances. Better than you know them.
When we cry out to God for help, it’s not so God will wake up and go, “What? You need help? I didn’t know that! Thanks for telling Me! Now I can do something about it!”
No – when we cry out to God for help, it’s in recognition that we need His help, admitting that it’s beyond our own capacity.
It’s a humbling moment when we acknowledge that God has the power to move when we don’t.
Paul could do nothing about his circumstance except pray and contact the church. And God came through.
God help us to count on Him in the same way, so we can know the same level of contentment as we go through the daily grind of getting through our own expenses.
Here’s the third lesson Paul teaches us:
3. Contentment comes with recognition that current circumstances don’t limit what God can do in us and through us.
Verse 13 –
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Paul is saying that he can get through this trial with God’s help.
Paul was very confident that God would supply his needs in prison, and even that God would make it possible for him to leave house arrest and return to ministry outside the city.
How many times have you been in a situation where you simply didn’t know if you were going to get through it?
The situation looked hopeless, and you saw no way out.
But then God shows up and gives you the strength you need to get through that tough time.
He didn’t make it any easier, He just made it possible for you to do it.
He’s done that for me on many occasions. He did it for Paul. And He’ll do it for you.
He wants to bring you through the hard situations, bringing Him glory and strengthening your own faith in Him so you can continue to work for Him no matter the situation.
You can do all the things He needs you to do – because He will supply the strength you need.
And He will give you what you need to be content in whatever situation you find yourself in, financial or otherwise.
Let’s take a quick look at a couple of questions that came to mind as I was working on the message:
→ What about saving for the future? Is that not having faith?
I have met people who feel that saving is not trusting God. And they won’t have insurance for the same reason.
So what of that? Is saving money showing a lack of faith?
No, it’s showing the prudence that Scripture addresses, particularly in Proverbs.
Saving what you can for what you know will happen in the future (car repairs, home repairs, medical and car insurance deductibles, etc.) is much more in line with Scripture than waiting for stuff to break and then putting it on a credit card, hoping that nothing gets in the way of paying that off.
Anybody hear of the recession and people getting laid off?
But there is a difference between saving and hoarding.
Saving is good and still trusts God for the increase, however great or small it might be.
Hoarding is bad, because it operates on greed and fear that others might get to it.
And that is no way to live, especially for a Christian who is commanded to make their money available for kingdom purposes and to help the less fortunate.
→ What about building wealth?
The question is WHY do you want to build wealth?
Is it so you can have the biggest house and the most toys? Then it’s wrong.
“He who dies with the most toys wins.” Actually, it’s, “He who dies with the most dies is just dead.”
If you’re looking to build wealth is built on an honest desire to build security for your family in case something happens or to bless future generations, and a desire to be able to contribute greatly to Kingdom causes, then go for it, as long as you do it in ways that honor God and don’t embarrass Jesus.
You: Contentment is not always something that can be switched on like a light bulb.
Paul says that he had learned to be content in every circumstance.
And I think it’s safe to say that none of us have had to go through what Paul did.
So I also think it’s safe to say that all of us can have the level of contentment that Paul had in the midst of his issues.
It can be a process, and I want to give you some things you can do to help you in that process.
First…
Start thanking God for the little things
(And the big things)
I mentioned earlier that gratitude and contentment go hand-in-hand.
You may not have a lot, but as I’ve pointed out from time to time, everything you have is a gift from God.
When was the last time you thanked God for a good night’s sleep? Some of us here thank Him every time because we don’t get it that often!
When was the last time you thanked God for the hot water in your shower?
Or the fact that maybe your electric bill was a bit smaller than you expected?
Or for the fact that your children give you hugs or still ask for your advice after they’re out of the home?
When was the last time you thanked God for your job? Even if you didn’t like it? At least it was an income, right?
How many of you slept indoors last night? Did you thank God for that?
Did any of you lose your home or loved ones in Japan last week?
Who plans on having a meal sometime today?
How about a nap?
Did all of you have some sort of reliable transportation to get you to church today?
Learn to distinguish “needs” from “wants.”
Too often people confuse the two, and when you really look at that, you find that much of what you think you need is really something you can live without if you had to.
Unfortunately, Christians can be just as swayed by the media into thinking that we need all this stuff if we’re going to survive, and it’s just not true in many, if not most, cases.
So let me ask you some questions that might be a little uncomfortable for you to consider:
Do you NEED cable TV, or can you rent movies and get the same type of entertainment?
Do you NEED that new car (and the payments that come with it), or will fixing or modifying the current car do the job? Or an older car you can pay for with cash?
Do you NEED to eat out as much or can you cut that in half or go out for dessert or coffee instead?
Do you NEED the cell phone plan with unlimited texting and data plans or can you get by with just actually dialing someone up and keeping the rest of us safer on the road?
I’m not against any of that stuff – as long as you can meet the NEEDS you have and can give like God wants you to give – to the church and to those in need – as well as put some aside for the rainy days come.
If you can do those three things, then I don’t see Scripture denying you those things.
Re-evaluate your need for debt.
Our society tells us that things like car payments and credit card debt are normal, and that if you’re not making payments on stuff like that, then you’re not enjoying life the way you should.
The problem is that debt is actually a form of slavery in almost every case.
Proverbs 22:7 –
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Most financial planning types will tell you that generally the only kind of debt that appreciates over time is a home, because those values tend to gain.
But the only thing car payments and credit card bills do is gain in your interest.
I can count on one hand the amount of people who I know pay off their credit card bill every month.
The rest pay the interest, and therefore, pay way more for their purchases than if they had just saved up the money and paid cash for it.
Just to be clear: I don’t think debt is sin – just unwise if unavoidable.
If you start paying cash for most things, then you find that you don’t really need as much as you might think.
You’ll probably find the stress level going way down.
And you just might find yourself – gasp! – being CONTENT without it. (No Way).
Start giving some away.
Not just tithing.
I’m talking about donating to worthy causes like World Hope, Compassion International, or the Salvation Army.
Or just giving something tangible to someone who you know can use it.
Greedy people can’t give unless they see some sort of tangible return.
Scripture says you should give simply because God says you should, or because you see a need, even if there is no hope of getting anything back from the deal.
Content people are easy givers because they understand God’s ownership and provision, and they’re not afraid of not having enough.
Another thing I’ve found. When you start giving, even if it’s just out of sheer basic obedience, your contentment level rises, and it becomes easier to give.
So start giving some away and watch your level of contentment rise.
And here’s another way to learn to be content:
Change your speech patterns.
I think we all know people who constantly say things like, “If only we had this or that,” or, “I wish we could do this or that,” or whatever.
They talk about what they don’t have instead of what God has blessed them with.
This has been me from time to time and I’ve been asking God to help me get over that.
There are plenty of whiners and complainers in the kingdom of God, and I don’t want to be one more in that crowd.
Usually this kind of talk comes when we find ourselves comparing ourselves with others who have more than we do or do more than we can do.
This is tough, because we hear our kids’ friends telling about how they’re going to Disney World and we’re gonna be lucky to go to a Disney movie.
Or we see someone’s house or car and wonder what’s wrong with us that we can’t earn the kind of money that would get us those things.
And as I said, this is hard for me, too. There are lots of things I’d like to do or get, but the money’s simply not there.
But when I start actually reminding myself and my family about the blessings we’ve received, then I find myself not complaining so much, and it tells my kids that while I might like to have more or do more, I’ll be satisfied with what God has given us.
So instead of constantly talking about what we don’t have, we need to start vocalizing our confidence that God will supply our needs.
We: Folks – once again, everything we have is a gift from God, whether we recognize it or not.
It’s important that we really get a handle on that, because without it, we’ll never be content
We’ll never see that God is the source of our well-being, and we’ll continue to join the chorus of the world that can never say, “Enough!”
We need to show the world that our trust isn’t in what we can get hold of in terms of material possessions, but rather in what God provides for us: time, energy, jobs, or other forms of income.
And when they see the peace that comes from the contentment Jesus brings, it may just cause them to want that for themselves.
Then we can show them that what Jesus said was true:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Folks, let’s show the world that through Christ and trust in His provision, we can be content in every situation – good or bad.
It’s up to you. Let’s pray.
