Thriving Through the Valleys Through Contentment- A Lesson from Paul
Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult
Feels / Contentment / Philippians 4:10–14
Contentment is not contingent on our circumstances but on God’s faithfulness and provision.
INTRODUCTION
TITLE SLIDE
• “If I just had a little more…”—how many times have we thought that?
• A bigger paycheck.
• A better job.
• A healthier body.
• A different season of life.
• We live in a culture that runs on upgrades—new phones, new cars, new houses—yet somehow, the more we get, the less satisfied we feel.
• But then you meet someone who has almost nothing… and yet they radiate peace.
• I remember hearing about Horatio Spafford, who lost his fortune in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, and then in 1873, he lost his four daughters in a shipwreck.
• His wife sent a telegram telling him she was the only one in the family who survived; her message was, “Saved alone."
• Horatio then sailed to meet his wife.
• It is said that as his ship passed over the spot where his daughters had died, he wrote the lyrics to "It Is Well With My Soul."
• In the middle of that grief, he penned this still-popular hymn.
• How?
• How can a person walk through the valley and still sing?
• That’s the question Paul answers in Philippians 4:10–14.
• Today we’re learning from a man in a valley.
• And today, we’re going to unpack how Paul thrived in the valleys, not by escaping them, but by finding a deeper source of strength.
• Paul is confined; he is writing while under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier; resources are tight; he is chained and uncertain of his future, yet he writes about a kind of steady joy that doesn’t blink in the dark.
• Yet through it all, Paul says he has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.
• He calls it contentment.
CONTENTMENT SPIRITUAL SKILL SLIDE
• This isn’t a motivational slogan.
• It’s not a personality trait.
• Not denial.
• Not pretending.
• It’s a spiritual skill—one that can be learned, practiced, and lived.
• A learned, Christ-strengthened steadiness that holds in every season.
• Are you in the valley?
• Do you want to learn to thrive even in the valleys of life?
• Join me today, and you will discover how to thrive in life's valleys by embracing contentment.
• We will be with Paul in Philippians 4:10-14; we will begin with verse 10.
Philippians 4:10 NET 2nd ed.
10 I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern for me. (Now I know you were concerned before but had no opportunity to do anything.)
MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE
I. Contentment begins with a grateful heart.
• In our text, we observe Paul writing while under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier around the clock.
• The chain was a "single short length of chain by which Paul’s right wrist was fastened to his soldier guard’s left wrist."
• This was a Roman custom for prisoners awaiting trial before Caesar.
• I don’t know about you, but I would have a difficult time rejoicing about much of anything if I were in that position.
• Yet here is Paul, talking about his great joy.
• How can this be?
• His is one of the deepest valleys one could find themselves in.
• Paul makes a decision to be content in all seasons of life, both the peaks and the valleys.
• Notice that Paul says he has great joy in the Lord.
• What usually brings us joy in life?
• Gifts!
• When the gifts come, our spirits and joy rise; when the valleys come, our joy and spirit descend.
THERMOMETER THERMOSTAT SLIDE
• Have you ever noticed that our souls experience changes in emotional weather?
• One week you’re sunny and 75—prayers are answered, doors are opening.
• The next week?
• Dust storm.
• You can’t feel God, the news isn’t good, and joy evaporates fast.
• Here’s my question: Are you living like a thermometer or a thermostat?
• A thermometer only reflects the climate—up when life is up, down when life is down.
• A thermostat sets a climate—it holds steady in the heat and the cold.
• [Pause; look around.]
If nothing in your life changed for the next 90 days—no raise, no fix, no miracle—how content would you be?
• Be honest: would your soul rise and fall with the temperature of your week?
• Paul’s gratitude is God-centered, not gift-centered.
• Paul’s joy was vertical before it was horizontal—he rejoiced in the Lord, not merely in the gift.
• The Giver is his joy before the gift arrives.
• Paul rejoices greatly in the Lord because the Philippians have renewed their concern for him.
• He acknowledges that they had always been concerned but lacked the opportunity to show it before.
• This emphasizes the mutual affection between Paul and the Philippian believers.
• The word “concern” is more than sentiment; it’s a mindset that moves to action—gospel partnership.
• Having a grateful heart is a choice.
• It is a choice to focus on gratitude before it leads to a change in circumstances (cf. Phil 4:4; Jas 1:17).
Philippians 4:4 NET 2nd ed.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!
• A grateful heart recognizes the quiet timings of God; delays aren’t abandonments.
• There are many things that we can allow to block our ability to possess a grateful heart.
• Entitlement: “I’m owed.”
• Comparison: “They got more.”
• Cynicism: “It won’t last.”
• Back to our thermostat vs. thermometer thought.
• A grateful heart sets the climate; circumstances no longer set the temperature.
• A grateful heart in valleys is a choice and an act of faith—it declares that God is still present and active even when life feels barren.
• Gratitude tills the soil of the heart—now God grows deep roots through all kinds of weather.
• Let’s move to verses 11-12
Philippians 4:11–12 NET 2nd ed.
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance.
12 I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.
MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. Contentment is learned in every season.
• Verses 11-12 highlight Paul's personal contentment.
• He explains that his gratitude is not rooted in desperate need, for he has learned to be content in all circumstances—whether in need or in plenty.
• Let’s back up briefly and dig into the word “content.”
• The Greek term, which we translate as "content," was a significant concept in Stoic philosophy, used to describe an ideal wise person who passively accepted circumstances, believing they possessed all the internal resources to cope impassively with life.
• However, Paul's understanding of contentment, while using this term, is distinct from Stoicism.
• His coping is not apathetic; instead, he clarifies in Philippians 4:13 that he learned to depend on Christ's strength.
• Paul uses this term to express his spiritual maturity and his trust in Christ's sufficiency: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance."
• Verse 11 exemplifies the Christian virtue of finding contentment in any situation through faith in God.
• The idea is that true sufficiency comes not from material wealth or external circumstances but through a deep relationship with God, who provides all that is needed.
• This teaching encourages us to cultivate a reliance on God and an attitude of gratitude, regardless of life's challenges.
• Paul's statement in Philippians 4:11 serves to clarify his earlier remarks in verse 10 ("now at last you have revived your concern for me").
• He wants to assure the Philippians that his words were not a criticism of their previous lack of opportunity to support him, nor an indication that he was desperately seeking further gifts.
• Rather, he acknowledges their gift with grace and dignity but emphasizes that his ability to endure varying situations comes from Christ, not from external provisions.
• MOST LIKELY Paul’s imprisonment and travels were the reason they were unable to help him out like they desired.
• When you examine verses 11 and 12, you will see an important principle concerning contentment: the phrase "I HAVE LEARNED!"
• Contentment is not a gift you’re born with—it’s a discipline you grow into.
• Paul’s “learning” implies a process shaped by both scarcity and abundance.
• Paul says twice, “I have ”learned”—this is the language of a student, not a prodigy.
• The Greek word for “learned” implies acquiring knowledge through experience, not just theory.
• “Any and every” doubles the scope—peaks and valleys are both classrooms.
• The curriculum of contentment
• The valleys teach dependence—when Paul was “brought low,” he learned God’s sufficiency.
• The peaks test humility—when Paul “abounded,” he learned not to trust in plenty.
• God uses both the drought and the harvest to train our hearts to rest in Him alone.
• From an application standpoint, we need to ask ourselves, “What is God teaching me in this season?”
• Don’t waste the valley by only longing for the mountaintop.
• Paul doesn't say he was always content, but he learned to be content.
• His experiences of "plenty" and "want," of being "well fed" and "hungry," were his classrooms.
• This thought provides us hope.
• If Paul, a man who faced extreme hardship, had to learn this, so can we.
• Every season, whether a peak or a valley, is an opportunity for us to grow in contentment.
• The expression "learned the secret" translates a verb that was used in the initiation ceremonies of Greek mystery religions.
• This vividly conveys that Paul had been "thoroughly initiated into life situations where 'contentment' was required."
• Let’s go to verses 13-14.
Philippians 4:13–14 NET 2nd ed.
13 I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless, you did well to share with me in my trouble.
MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. Contentment is empowered by Christ’s strength.
• Verse 13 is a powerful declaration by Paul that explains the source of his contentment in all circumstances, a concept he introduces in Philippians 4:10-12.
• The context is vital to understanding what Paul is saying and what he is NOT saying.
• This passage tends to be abused, not maliciously, but rather because of a lack of understanding.
• Paul isn’t talking about winning championships or smashing personal goals—he’s talking about enduring every season (vv. 11–12) with unshakable contentment.
• Philippians 4:13 is not a trophy verse for personal ambition; it’s a trust verse for faithful endurance in scarcity or abundance.
• The “all things” refers to all the circumstances God calls us to walk through—whether that’s scarcity, abundance, hardship, or blessing.
• This is not self-empowerment; it’s Christ-empowerment.
• With the proper context in mind, we can now understand what the phrase “all things” means.
• The phrase "all things" in this context refers specifically to the varying circumstances of life that Paul has just described in Philippians 4:12, such as experiencing humble means or prosperity, being filled or going hungry, and having abundance or suffering need.
• The Greek verb translated "I can do" is a synonym for power, highlighting an inner power that is exerted.
• It emphasizes that this power is not inherent to Paul but is given to him.
• The nature of the empowerment we receive from Jesus is not a “borrowed” strength; it’s infused strength.
• The Greek verb for “strengthens” means to empower from within.
• Paul’s ability to find contentment doesn't come from his own willpower; it comes from Christ's strength.
• Christ infuses strength as we walk.
• It's not about removing the valley, but empowering you to get through it.
• How does Christ’s strength show up in our lives?
• Persevering obedience: take the next right step when feelings lag.
• Peace in pressure: a calm presence that steadies others.
• Open hands: freedom to receive and give help (v. 14).
• When we're in the valley, we don’t have to muster up our own strength or positivity.
• We can tap into the supernatural peace of Christ, knowing that His power is made perfect in our weakness.
• The intriguing thing about God’s power is that God’s strength begins where our self-sufficiency ends.
• This is a kingdom principle: “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 NET 2nd ed.
10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions, and with difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
• Admitting our inability is the gateway to experiencing His ability.
• Imagine a cordless power tool.
• Without the battery, it’s just a shell—all design, no drive.
• Plug in the battery, and suddenly it can cut, drill, and build.
• You are the tool; Christ is the power source.
• Without Him, you can do nothing (John 15:5).
• With Him, you can do all He calls you to do.
CONCLUSION
• Paul’s life reminds us that valleys are not detours from God’s plan—they are part of the path.
• In every season, he learned that contentment is not found in changing circumstances, but in an unchanging Christ.
• Gratitude anchored his heart, experience trained his soul, and Christ’s strength carried him through.
• So when the peaks fade and the shadows fall, remember: you don’t have to escape the valley to thrive in it.
• You only have to lean on the One who walks through it with you—and in Him, you will have all you need.
• Here is something for you to take home.
SOMETHING TO TAKE HOME
"Contentment isn’t about what’s around you—it’s about Who’s within you."
Thriving Through the Valleys Through Contentment- A Lesson from Paul
Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult
Feels / Contentment / Philippians 4:10–14
Contentment is not contingent on our circumstances but on God’s faithfulness and provision.
INTRODUCTION
TITLE SLIDE
• “If I just had a little more…”—how many times have we thought that?
• A bigger paycheck.
• A better job.
• A healthier body.
• A different season of life.
• We live in a culture that runs on upgrades—new phones, new cars, new houses—yet somehow, the more we get, the less satisfied we feel.
• But then you meet someone who has almost nothing… and yet they radiate peace.
• I remember hearing about Horatio Spafford, who lost his fortune in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, and then in 1873, he lost his four daughters in a shipwreck.
• His wife sent a telegram telling him she was the only one in the family who survived; her message was, “Saved alone."
• Horatio then sailed to meet his wife.
• It is said that as his ship passed over the spot where his daughters had died, he wrote the lyrics to "It Is Well With My Soul."
• In the middle of that grief, he penned this still-popular hymn.
• How?
• How can a person walk through the valley and still sing?
• That’s the question Paul answers in Philippians 4:10–14.
• Today we’re learning from a man in a valley.
• And today, we’re going to unpack how Paul thrived in the valleys, not by escaping them, but by finding a deeper source of strength.
• Paul is confined; he is writing while under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier; resources are tight; he is chained and uncertain of his future, yet he writes about a kind of steady joy that doesn’t blink in the dark.
• Yet through it all, Paul says he has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.
• He calls it contentment.
CONTENTMENT SPIRITUAL SKILL SLIDE
• This isn’t a motivational slogan.
• It’s not a personality trait.
• Not denial.
• Not pretending.
• It’s a spiritual skill—one that can be learned, practiced, and lived.
• A learned, Christ-strengthened steadiness that holds in every season.
• Are you in the valley?
• Do you want to learn to thrive even in the valleys of life?
• Join me today, and you will discover how to thrive in life's valleys by embracing contentment.
• We will be with Paul in Philippians 4:10-14; we will begin with verse 10.
Philippians 4:10 NET 2nd ed.
10 I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern for me. (Now I know you were concerned before but had no opportunity to do anything.)
MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE
I. Contentment begins with a grateful heart.
• In our text, we observe Paul writing while under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier around the clock.
• The chain was a "single short length of chain by which Paul’s right wrist was fastened to his soldier guard’s left wrist."
• This was a Roman custom for prisoners awaiting trial before Caesar.
• I don’t know about you, but I would have a difficult time rejoicing about much of anything if I were in that position.
• Yet here is Paul, talking about his great joy.
• How can this be?
• His is one of the deepest valleys one could find themselves in.
• Paul makes a decision to be content in all seasons of life, both the peaks and the valleys.
• Notice that Paul says he has great joy in the Lord.
• What usually brings us joy in life?
• Gifts!
• When the gifts come, our spirits and joy rise; when the valleys come, our joy and spirit descend.
THERMOMETER THERMOSTAT SLIDE
• Have you ever noticed that our souls experience changes in emotional weather?
• One week you’re sunny and 75—prayers are answered, doors are opening.
• The next week?
• Dust storm.
• You can’t feel God, the news isn’t good, and joy evaporates fast.
• Here’s my question: Are you living like a thermometer or a thermostat?
• A thermometer only reflects the climate—up when life is up, down when life is down.
• A thermostat sets a climate—it holds steady in the heat and the cold.
• [Pause; look around.]
If nothing in your life changed for the next 90 days—no raise, no fix, no miracle—how content would you be?
• Be honest: would your soul rise and fall with the temperature of your week?
• Paul’s gratitude is God-centered, not gift-centered.
• Paul’s joy was vertical before it was horizontal—he rejoiced in the Lord, not merely in the gift.
• The Giver is his joy before the gift arrives.
• Paul rejoices greatly in the Lord because the Philippians have renewed their concern for him.
• He acknowledges that they had always been concerned but lacked the opportunity to show it before.
• This emphasizes the mutual affection between Paul and the Philippian believers.
• The word “concern” is more than sentiment; it’s a mindset that moves to action—gospel partnership.
• Having a grateful heart is a choice.
• It is a choice to focus on gratitude before it leads to a change in circumstances (cf. Phil 4:4; Jas 1:17).
Philippians 4:4 NET 2nd ed.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!
• A grateful heart recognizes the quiet timings of God; delays aren’t abandonments.
• There are many things that we can allow to block our ability to possess a grateful heart.
• Entitlement: “I’m owed.”
• Comparison: “They got more.”
• Cynicism: “It won’t last.”
• Back to our thermostat vs. thermometer thought.
• A grateful heart sets the climate; circumstances no longer set the temperature.
• A grateful heart in valleys is a choice and an act of faith—it declares that God is still present and active even when life feels barren.
• Gratitude tills the soil of the heart—now God grows deep roots through all kinds of weather.
• Let’s move to verses 11-12
Philippians 4:11–12 NET 2nd ed.
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance.
12 I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.
MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. Contentment is learned in every season.
• Verses 11-12 highlight Paul's personal contentment.
• He explains that his gratitude is not rooted in desperate need, for he has learned to be content in all circumstances—whether in need or in plenty.
• Let’s back up briefly and dig into the word “content.”
• The Greek term, which we translate as "content," was a significant concept in Stoic philosophy, used to describe an ideal wise person who passively accepted circumstances, believing they possessed all the internal resources to cope impassively with life.
• However, Paul's understanding of contentment, while using this term, is distinct from Stoicism.
• His coping is not apathetic; instead, he clarifies in Philippians 4:13 that he learned to depend on Christ's strength.
• Paul uses this term to express his spiritual maturity and his trust in Christ's sufficiency: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance."
• Verse 11 exemplifies the Christian virtue of finding contentment in any situation through faith in God.
• The idea is that true sufficiency comes not from material wealth or external circumstances but through a deep relationship with God, who provides all that is needed.
• This teaching encourages us to cultivate a reliance on God and an attitude of gratitude, regardless of life's challenges.
• Paul's statement in Philippians 4:11 serves to clarify his earlier remarks in verse 10 ("now at last you have revived your concern for me").
• He wants to assure the Philippians that his words were not a criticism of their previous lack of opportunity to support him, nor an indication that he was desperately seeking further gifts.
• Rather, he acknowledges their gift with grace and dignity but emphasizes that his ability to endure varying situations comes from Christ, not from external provisions.
• MOST LIKELY Paul’s imprisonment and travels were the reason they were unable to help him out like they desired.
• When you examine verses 11 and 12, you will see an important principle concerning contentment: the phrase "I HAVE LEARNED!"
• Contentment is not a gift you’re born with—it’s a discipline you grow into.
• Paul’s “learning” implies a process shaped by both scarcity and abundance.
• Paul says twice, “I have ”learned”—this is the language of a student, not a prodigy.
• The Greek word for “learned” implies acquiring knowledge through experience, not just theory.
• “Any and every” doubles the scope—peaks and valleys are both classrooms.
• The curriculum of contentment
• The valleys teach dependence—when Paul was “brought low,” he learned God’s sufficiency.
• The peaks test humility—when Paul “abounded,” he learned not to trust in plenty.
• God uses both the drought and the harvest to train our hearts to rest in Him alone.
• From an application standpoint, we need to ask ourselves, “What is God teaching me in this season?”
• Don’t waste the valley by only longing for the mountaintop.
• Paul doesn't say he was always content, but he learned to be content.
• His experiences of "plenty" and "want," of being "well fed" and "hungry," were his classrooms.
• This thought provides us hope.
• If Paul, a man who faced extreme hardship, had to learn this, so can we.
• Every season, whether a peak or a valley, is an opportunity for us to grow in contentment.
• The expression "learned the secret" translates a verb that was used in the initiation ceremonies of Greek mystery religions.
• This vividly conveys that Paul had been "thoroughly initiated into life situations where 'contentment' was required."
• Let’s go to verses 13-14.
Philippians 4:13–14 NET 2nd ed.
13 I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless, you did well to share with me in my trouble.
MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. Contentment is empowered by Christ’s strength.
• Verse 13 is a powerful declaration by Paul that explains the source of his contentment in all circumstances, a concept he introduces in Philippians 4:10-12.
• The context is vital to understanding what Paul is saying and what he is NOT saying.
• This passage tends to be abused, not maliciously, but rather because of a lack of understanding.
• Paul isn’t talking about winning championships or smashing personal goals—he’s talking about enduring every season (vv. 11–12) with unshakable contentment.
• Philippians 4:13 is not a trophy verse for personal ambition; it’s a trust verse for faithful endurance in scarcity or abundance.
• The “all things” refers to all the circumstances God calls us to walk through—whether that’s scarcity, abundance, hardship, or blessing.
• This is not self-empowerment; it’s Christ-empowerment.
• With the proper context in mind, we can now understand what the phrase “all things” means.
• The phrase "all things" in this context refers specifically to the varying circumstances of life that Paul has just described in Philippians 4:12, such as experiencing humble means or prosperity, being filled or going hungry, and having abundance or suffering need.
• The Greek verb translated "I can do" is a synonym for power, highlighting an inner power that is exerted.
• It emphasizes that this power is not inherent to Paul but is given to him.
• The nature of the empowerment we receive from Jesus is not a “borrowed” strength; it’s infused strength.
• The Greek verb for “strengthens” means to empower from within.
• Paul’s ability to find contentment doesn't come from his own willpower; it comes from Christ's strength.
• Christ infuses strength as we walk.
• It's not about removing the valley, but empowering you to get through it.
• How does Christ’s strength show up in our lives?
• Persevering obedience: take the next right step when feelings lag.
• Peace in pressure: a calm presence that steadies others.
• Open hands: freedom to receive and give help (v. 14).
• When we're in the valley, we don’t have to muster up our own strength or positivity.
• We can tap into the supernatural peace of Christ, knowing that His power is made perfect in our weakness.
• The intriguing thing about God’s power is that God’s strength begins where our self-sufficiency ends.
• This is a kingdom principle: “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 NET 2nd ed.
10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions, and with difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
• Admitting our inability is the gateway to experiencing His ability.
• Imagine a cordless power tool.
• Without the battery, it’s just a shell—all design, no drive.
• Plug in the battery, and suddenly it can cut, drill, and build.
• You are the tool; Christ is the power source.
• Without Him, you can do nothing (John 15:5).
• With Him, you can do all He calls you to do.
CONCLUSION
• Paul’s life reminds us that valleys are not detours from God’s plan—they are part of the path.
• In every season, he learned that contentment is not found in changing circumstances, but in an unchanging Christ.
• Gratitude anchored his heart, experience trained his soul, and Christ’s strength carried him through.
• So when the peaks fade and the shadows fall, remember: you don’t have to escape the valley to thrive in it.
• You only have to lean on the One who walks through it with you—and in Him, you will have all you need.
• Here is something for you to take home.
SOMETHING TO TAKE HOME
"Contentment isn’t about what’s around you—it’s about Who’s within you."
