Contentment

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Philippians 1; Philippians 2; Philippians 3; Philippians 4

  

Contentment

Scripture

Philippians 4

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 all this through him who gives me strength.

Observation

I hope that you take the time to read Philippians 1-4 this morning. You need to do it. It will help you through this day. Paul talks about something that I think all of us need especially during this time of year – contentment!

Paul wrote this letter written to the church at Philippi when he was in prison. How can you be content when you are chained and bound in a prison cell not knowing if and when you would be executed? The key word in this book is the word, “Rejoice”. He is in prison telling everyone outside to “Rejoice”. I think we would probably be writing the folks in Philippi begging them to come bail us out, but Paul uses his time to write to them about contentment.

I feel just a little bit like Paul this morning as I write this blog. I am pretty much stuck in our house. The most meaningful thing I get to do is to write to you and put my blog up on facebook and on my blog site. I definitely have cabin fever and would love to get out and do some of the things that everyone else is getting to do at Christmas time. And I would love for Kathy to be able to get out and do the things that she needs to do to get ready for Christmas. But … we can’t.

But being confined to my house has it advantage and like Paul being locked up in prison it has given me a different perspective on life.

Here are just a few things that having a massive heart attack can do for you:

1. I am glad just to be alive. I rejoice!
2. My family means so much more to me now than ever before. I rejoice!
3. My love and appreciation for God’s people and the power that they possess will be something I will never forget. I rejoice!
4. I am content in the situation that I am in. I rejoice!
5. My relationship with my Heavenly Father and my dependence on Him has never been better and has never been closer. I rejoice!

I could go on and on but the point I want to make to you as you live out this Christmas season and you begin to do your Christmas shopping and you become frantic with all the holiday activities is don’t let discontentment ruin the very best time of the year. Here is what I suggest you do to make this Christmas the very best ever:

1. Don’t overspend this Christmas season. I hope that your biggest gift was to Jesus. After all it is His birthday that we are celebrating. Rejoice!
2. Your children and your grand children need your time more than expensive presents. They will remember and have memories of the things that you do together, but they won’t remember the toys or presents that you bought them. Rejoice!
3. Take time to go out as a family and look at the Christmas lights. Find out what streets in your neighborhood have really decorated and take a slow drive and gaze at the beautiful lights. Rejoice!
4. Do take time to attend the Christmas Eve service. Plan your family time around the Christmas eve service and don’t miss the Christmas Eve service to be with your family. Help your children and your grand children understand the true meaning of Christmas by all attending the Christmas Eve service together. Rejoice!
5. Looking at everything in the stores and on line that you would like to have or that you would like to buy for someone else might just plant a root of discontentment in your heart. Let’s keep things in perspective. Those that don’t know Christ have their minds set on earthly things “but our citizenship is in heaven.” Rejoice!

Application

I will be content as I recover from this heart attack.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, this is the very best time of the year. There is no other time when people are so spiritually open to the Gospel than during the Christmas season. Help us take advantage of their openness and may we help them to find the true meaning of Christmas this year. Help us not to overspend. Help us not to miss the special times with those we love. Slow us down so we don’t miss a thing that You want us to experience during this Christmas season. Give me the contentment Paul had as he wrote from a prison cell. Don’t let me give in to an attitude of discontentment when You have blessed me so much. You are a Mighty God. You are my Healer. You are Worthy of all Praise!

 

Today’s"Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!