The Secret of Satisfaction - Philippians 4:10-13 - 8/21/16
Intro: Turn with me this morning to the book of Philippians, chapter 4. Last week, we looked at a verse that is often taken out of context - 2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! And we saw that while Jesus is God’s indescribable gift to us - He is not the gift that verse is talking about - neither is it talking about our salvation - but rather in the context that verse is talking God’s grace to us of giving - God blesses us with the ability to give.
Today I want us to consider another verse that is often taken out of context: Philippians 4:13 - you can probably quote it for me: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me - or - I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Now when we think about that verse, we often use it as a way of glorifying God. The last two weeks the media has featured story after story about Olympic athletes. I hope you were able to watch and be inspired by many of the events that took place this past week. Wednesday night, USA had a sweep - we won gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Women’s 100 meter hurdle final: Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin finished first, second, and third. After the race, I heard the interview where they were very outspoken about the help that God gave - praising Him - saying they had prayed together before the race, and that all the glory went to God.
I remember in 2000 when Laura Wilkinson won her gold medal in diving. Afterwards they were interviewing her and they asked “How did you do it?” And she boldly replied for all the world to hear - “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And we often use that verse as a way of having hope: that no matter what we are facing, God will bring us through. But today I want us to look at the context, and be a little more specific about the application - we will see what God really intended for us to come away with by that verse. Let’s start reading in verse 10.
Read Philippians 4:10-13 - Pray
As we have read this passage, Paul is dealing with one specific topic: contentment. Now I’m not trying to tell you that you can’t use verse 13 to inspire you and give you hope. But let’s look at the truth: I can’t do anything. If I decide I’m going to jump high and reach the moon - it’s not going to happen. What if I lose an arm and want to grow a new arm - can I grow a new arm? NO! Could I? Yes, God CAN do anything - but that doesn’t mean that He will! Far too often we look at that verse as a promise that we can do anything that WE want to do - and we CAN’T! - and so it is easy then to say “See, I knew I couldn’t count of God!” But the truth is, that if we take that verse in it’s context - and we say that no matter what the circumstance, I can choose to stay content - THEN it makes perfect sense, and THEN it is ALWAYS true. Because God promises He will never give us more than we can bear - 1 Corinthians 10:13!
Now what is really interesting here is that Paul tells us in verse 10 - 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. Contentment is something that we learn. It is not that we become a Christian and suddenly we are content. Rather it is something we learn, just like all the other qualities of the Christian life. God supplies help, but we grow in our spiritual maturity, we learn to be content. And here’s the kicker - the hard part to accept - LIFE is a school of contentment. We learn to be content by facing all kinds of adversity. God allows us to get in all kinds of circumstances, and as we turn to Him and seek His help, we grow in contentment.
So how to we learn contentment?
1. Learn to Avoid Comparisons - one of the basic reasons we struggle with contentment is that we are comparing ourselves and our situations to others. We look at others and see their circumstances, and we say “if only MY circumstances were different, THEN I would be content.” But the truth is that whenever we compare ourselves to others we are not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12 tells us, We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. Or as the NLT states it, Oh, don’t worry; I wouldn’t dare say that I am as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, and measuring themselves by themselves. What foolishness!
But that is the mistake we often make. We compare our situation to the situation of others, and suddenly we aren’t content. We ask, Why don’t I make that much money - why can’t I drive a car like that - why doesn’t MY spouse look like that? You know, it’s funny, but we never ask the opposite: why don’t I make as little as they do - why isn’t my car as old as theirs - why isn’t my spouse as horrible as theirs? When we are “on top” we don’t want to have worse circumstances, but we always want a little bit more.
The truth is that circumstances DON’T affect our contentment! What does Paul say in verse 10? I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. He wasn’t comparing his situation to the other apostles. Instead of looking at others, what was Paul looking at? The job God had given him to do! Look back in chapter 3 at verse 13: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.
What does he say there? ALL OF US should focus on doing God’s will - not on having OUR wills fulfilled. In 2 Corinthians 4:16 Paul says, Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
What’s he saying? We may be facing a lot of trials in life - but they are momentary, temporary - instead of looking around at the circumstances, LOOK UP at what awaits us! Paul tells the church at Colosse the same thing in Colossians 3 - Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
So the first key to contentment is to avoid comparisons: stop comparing yourselves to others or you will never be content. A second key to contentment, a second thing we need to learn:
2. Learn to Adjust to Change - The reality is that life is FULL of ups and downs, highs and lows. One day you will be on top of the mountain, but the next day you may be down in the valley, at the end of your rope. The one thing certain in life is change! Paul says that one of the secrets of learning to be content in life is the ability to adjust to all kinds of circumstances, all kinds of changes. Look at what he says in verse 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.
It’s easy to read that and say, well how hard did he really have it? After all, he was one of God’s chosen apostles. Yes, he was, but here’s what he had to put up with - 2 Corinthians 11 - I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Now here’s someone who learned to deal with change! Think about the circumstances as Paul writes Philippians - look back at Philippians 1:13 - Paul is writing this book from JAIL! And what is the book about? JOY! Paul had learned the key of adjusting to change. His joy did not depend on his circumstances.
There are three types of circumstances we face:
• those which I can control and I do: if you’re hungry, you get a snack, you eat a meal
• those which I can control and I don’t: you’re not hungry, so you shouldn’t eat a snack, but you do anyway.
But the key area, the one that seems to trip us up when it comes to contentment,
• those which I cannot control. This is were we need to learn contentment: in putting up with the things in life that we have no control over. After all, we LIKE to be in control. But when something happens that we have no control over, we struggle!
This week, with our multiple inch rain shower on Monday, my basement started leaking and the water came running in. Could I do anything about it? NO! Can I take steps to keep it from happening again? Sure! But I couldn’t control what had already happened. Then Tuesday morning, Joy called. Her laptop wouldn’t start up - and all her files were on it that she needed last week. Then a third thing happened - I can’t recall what. But I talked with someone on the phone Tuesday afternoon, and they asked how I was doing. I said, “I’m choosing to rejoice in spite of the circumstances.” And that’s the lesson we all need to learn. When we face things that we cannot control, adjust to the change.
Sometimes, we have to adjust not to circumstances that won’t change, but to people who won’t change. Paul writes in Romans 12:18 - If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Realize that you can only control how YOU respond. You can’t control how the other person will respond. Sometimes there is an issue that has divided you, and you want to reconcile with that other person, but THEY don’t want to! Once again, we need to learn to adjust to change. And then Paul gives us the third lesson to learn:
3. Learn to Access Christ’s Power - and that’s where our verse comes in. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. No matter what the circumstance you are facing, if you will turn to Christ, He will see you through. He will give you the strength to face the circumstance in godly ways. He will always give you what you need to make it through.
Now the reality is that the skeptical side of us says, There are some things that I just couldn’t put up with. And that’s where the wonderful side of God’s school of life kicks in. God has promised that He would never give us more that we could bear. If something is too hard for you, don’t worry, God’s not going to let you face it. The problem is that sometimes we THINK the problem is too much for us to handle. And that’s because we try to handle it on our own strength and not in God’s strength.
Think about what some of the circumstances are right now that seem overwhelming for you: managing your finances, dealing with a certain relationship, getting victory over a habit or addiction, controlling your emotions - you fill in the blank - but whatever it is, we can learn to be content no matter what the circumstances when we face it in the strength that Christ supplies.
In 2 Peter 1, Peter writes, Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Think about that - whatever you need to face the circumstances of life - God has already given you what you need to face it by His divine power.
I like the story of the redneck who brought his chainsaw into the hardware store to have the blade sharpened. He said he was having trouble cutting wood. The clerk took it to the back room, sharpened the blades, and sent him on his way. The next day he was back at the store again. He said it worked a little better, but was still a struggle to cut his wood. The clerk thought he’d check it out, so he pulled the cord and it started up - VROOM! - the redneck said, What’s that sound!
Many times we try to face the circumstances of life with OUR limited strength instead of turning to God’s LIMITLESS strength. Did this come easy for Paul? NO! Let’s not forget that the men and women of the Bible were not these “super saints.” They had struggles too! Paul had a physical struggle. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul tells us about it: To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
When Paul writes that God’s grace was “sufficient” for him - that’s the same root word we find here for “contentment.” Here’s the idea: In God’s grace, His power, His help, His strength - we find contentment. It is sufficient, it is enough. When we look at our circumstances, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, but when we look to God and seek His help, He ALWAYS gives us enough, He always gives us just what we NEED! And that’s really the fourth lesson we need to learn - we see it in verse 19 -
4. Learn to Trust God to Meet My Needs - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. When our focus is on our circumstances, it is easy to fret, fear, and worry. We wonder how we’re ever going to make it through. But we need to be reminded to keep the right focus, to keep the right perspective, to look at things from God’s point of view. Jesus says in Matthew 6:31 - So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
What is the lesson here? The real reason that so many people struggle with contentment is that they are not placing Christ as the focal point of their life. For many, worshiping God is something nice to do on Sunday mornings, if we don’t have any plans or if we don’t want to sleep in. But God wants to be your steering wheel, not your spare tire. God wants you to put Him FIRST! God says if you put Him first, He’ll take care of working out all those details that we so often worry about.
This morning, let’s learn the lesson of contentment: to not compare ourselves to others, to accept things we can’t control, to deal with them in God’s power, and to trust God to work. Come back tonight and we’ll see some other practical lessons in this chapter that deal with contentment. Let’s pray!
