Secret Recipe for Contentment

There’s a reason that Joseph remained so calm and unshaken by his circumstances. To be sold into slavery by your brothers would be earth shaking. Then to be falsely accused and imprisoned? Makes my worst situations sound like a picnic. I’m striving to learn his secret. I want to be content — satisfied, settled, and safe — no matter what circumstances come my way. So let me tell you what I found: Paul shares the secret of contentment with us in Philippians 4:11-13. 

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

We quote verse 13 a lot, but do we really understand the depth of this truth? I can face anything, of any extreme, and, like Paul, learn to be content – satisfied, settled, and safe. It is the practice of fully living on the truth that the Lord strengthens me in all circumstances. I’m not doing this alone! The Lord has placed me here by His plan, and He alone will strengthen me through it.

I love that Paul discloses that he has “learned” to be content. It doesn’t come with your birth certificate. It’s a learned response. I want to learn it!

Hebrews 13:5,6 gives us some more key ingredients to contentment:

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

We can fold together the truths from these two passages to understand the secret to being content:

The Lord is my strength – Philippians 4:11-13

The Lord will never leave me – Hebrews 13:5

The Lord will never forsake me – Hebrews 13:5

The Lord is my helper – Hebrews 13:6

When I learn to daily lay this foundation of truth in my life, I can face anything with contentment. I can be satisfied, settled, and safe just like Joseph and Paul, because the Lord is present in each circumstance, and He offers His omnipotent strength while He wisely works His plan in my life.