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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4:12-13)
The other day, I saw a complaint on Face Book asking how in the world someone who is only paid eight dollars per hour is supposed to be able to buy a new house and a new car, and pay for an education or get married. I responded with the question of why this person thought that new houses and cars were necessary and pointed out that getting married doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Of course, I didn’t get a response. The truth is, I’m just as silly. There are things that I consider necessary to contentment. Many of them don’t cost as much as a house, a car, an education or a wedding, but that doesn’t mean that they are within my means. My Christmas and birthday presents this year were mostly spent buying toys for my toys[1] and plants for my garden.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t feel guilty for buying toys for my toys, and I have no problem with people buying new houses and cars or paying for educations or weddings. If I could go back to school, I would but right now, I don’t have the money and I don’t want to go into debt to do it.
How often does a person need a new house and a new car and a paid off education and a wedding in order to be content? Once per year for each? Every ten years for the house, three years for the car, three times in 10 years for the education and every eight to ten years for the marriage? What else is needed? Cell phone contracts, cable or satellite TV, regular trips to the hair-dresser, manicurist (for those lovely fake nails), tanning salon, multiple dinners out each week?
Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content. He had learned how to successfully have much and to be in need successfully. It was by having the deep understanding that he could do everything through God who strengthened Paul. Considering that Paul spent years working as a tent maker and years under house arrest or in prison, I have to suspect that doing everything through God who strengthened him did not mean spending those years with God repeatedly providing new houses, chariots, donkeys, or his own ships. He remained single. Doing all things through God who strengthens doesn’t mean getting all the things. It doesn’t mean elimination of problems or even victory over problems – but survival of the problems. If victory is part of the equation it’s probably victory over ourselves, not over our circumstances.
This is where it really hits home for me. From my perspective, I haven’t seen much victory over either my circumstances or myself. I know my perspective is more than a little biased. When it comes to victory over myself, I’m looking for the equivalent of new houses, new cars, and paid for educations and marriage. If I am not perfectly self-controlled, if I am not ideally behaved, then victory in those areas is scarce. Paul is saying that I can get through my spiritual poverty through God who gives me strength. I can also get through my spiritual abundance through God who gives me strength.
That’s a good thing because as I think about it, there’s part of me that says “It’s too dangerous to have an abundance of anything because it leads to pride and possessiveness.” Abundance is more dangerous than scarcity. But God can get me through that, too. I tend to be more willing to accept at least some measure of failure and loss than I am victory or gain. It’s hard to accept God’s provision because that makes me beholden. But God gives me the strength to face that trial, too. I need to learn to be content.
The other day, I saw a complaint on Face Book asking how in the world someone who is only paid eight dollars per hour is supposed to be able to buy a new house and a new car, and pay for an education or get married. I responded with the question of why this person thought that new houses and cars were necessary and pointed out that getting married doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Of course, I didn’t get a response. The truth is, I’m just as silly. There are things that I consider necessary to contentment. Many of them don’t cost as much as a house, a car, an education or a wedding, but that doesn’t mean that they are within my means. My Christmas and birthday presents this year were mostly spent buying toys for my toys[1] and plants for my garden.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t feel guilty for buying toys for my toys, and I have no problem with people buying new houses and cars or paying for educations or weddings. If I could go back to school, I would but right now, I don’t have the money and I don’t want to go into debt to do it.
How often does a person need a new house and a new car and a paid off education and a wedding in order to be content? Once per year for each? Every ten years for the house, three years for the car, three times in 10 years for the education and every eight to ten years for the marriage? What else is needed? Cell phone contracts, cable or satellite TV, regular trips to the hair-dresser, manicurist (for those lovely fake nails), tanning salon, multiple dinners out each week?
Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content. He had learned how to successfully have much and to be in need successfully. It was by having the deep understanding that he could do everything through God who strengthened Paul. Considering that Paul spent years working as a tent maker and years under house arrest or in prison, I have to suspect that doing everything through God who strengthened him did not mean spending those years with God repeatedly providing new houses, chariots, donkeys, or his own ships. He remained single. Doing all things through God who strengthens doesn’t mean getting all the things. It doesn’t mean elimination of problems or even victory over problems – but survival of the problems. If victory is part of the equation it’s probably victory over ourselves, not over our circumstances.
This is where it really hits home for me. From my perspective, I haven’t seen much victory over either my circumstances or myself. I know my perspective is more than a little biased. When it comes to victory over myself, I’m looking for the equivalent of new houses, new cars, and paid for educations and marriage. If I am not perfectly self-controlled, if I am not ideally behaved, then victory in those areas is scarce. Paul is saying that I can get through my spiritual poverty through God who gives me strength. I can also get through my spiritual abundance through God who gives me strength.
That’s a good thing because as I think about it, there’s part of me that says “It’s too dangerous to have an abundance of anything because it leads to pride and possessiveness.” Abundance is more dangerous than scarcity. But God can get me through that, too. I tend to be more willing to accept at least some measure of failure and loss than I am victory or gain. It’s hard to accept God’s provision because that makes me beholden. But God gives me the strength to face that trial, too. I need to learn to be content.
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