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The Secret of Contentment

The Secret of Contentment

Words of Faith 9-11-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Philippians 4

[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.

 

       Paul had discovered a place of complete trust in Christ, a place of absolute peace in Him.

      But we don’t want to misunderstand here.  Contentment is not complacency.  Contentment is not laziness.  Contentment is not that we have no ambitions; rather, it is a place where we have found our ambitions in Him.  It is a place where our primary ambition is to know Christ and to share His love.  

       What a wonderful thing it must be to so completely trust the heavenly Father as to know that, whatever His provision, it is sufficient and is an expression of His love.  Whether in times of plenty or want.

       Missionary Oswald J. Smith wrote this prayer: "I want thy plan, O God, for my life. May I be happy and contented whether in the homeland or on the foreign field, whether married or alone, in happiness or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity-- I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. I want it; Oh, I want it." 

       Wow!  But what is the secret?  Paul shares it in verse 13.   "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  It is a verse that is easily misquoted as a sort of "power of positivity.”  But it is the key to contentment.  It is the knowledge that God does not call us to any place or any task that He does not supply the strength and provision. 

        We must also qualify the verse.  It is not that WE are powerful, but through Him, we have strength.  It is not that we can do ANYTHING, but that we can do EVERYTHING He calls us to THROUGH HIM who gives the strength. That knowledge is the secret of contentment.

        Whatever God calls you to, whatever he invites you to be involved in, whatever ministry He puts in your life, whatever circumstance He calls you to endure, you can DO through Him who gives you strength.  We can be content in His supply, content in His timing, and content in His love for us.   

 

Lord, apply in my life the secret of contentment.  I can do everything You call me to this day through the strength You give me. Amen. 

 

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

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