Philippians 4:11-13: The Secret to Contentment Part 3
Devotions based on week 11 of Joy in the Journey: Contentment (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 4:11 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.
Secret #2: Glance past the circumstance
Repentance turns us around…but then where do we look?
Our sinful nature challenges us to look back to the same thing that caused us to be discontent, but we have to look past what we might be experiencing to find contentment.
So where are we to focus to be content no matter what the circumstance?
First, focus on godliness, not greediness. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Once the Spirit of God has worked faith in Jesus in our hearts, our purpose in life shifts. No longer are we living to gain all the world has to offer, but living to give all the Lord has to offer the world. We are here to let the light of Jesus shine to make lives brighter and to be the salt of the earth to make lives better. Accumulation of wealth is not the goal, godliness is.
Second, focus on the future without stuff, but with your Savior. Paul in the verse above reminds us that we started this life without a diaper to our name. We leave this world by giving up all our earthly possessions. So hold onto them with a very loose grip. Never have I seen a hearse with a dead person’s possessions in tow behind it. Sure, some cultures bury possessions to be used in the afterlife, but every grave robber or archaeologists finds those very items still in the place of burial. Keep our heart from finding contentment in earthly gain by focusing on our heavenly reward.
Third, focus on God’s promises and provision. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
Discontent leads to worry because we are always uncertain as to if we have enough. Look at God’s track record. The creation he made, he also provides for. Nearly every day, I see birds at our feeders and am reminded of this promise. So, if the birds enjoy the provision of their heavenly Father, can I not expect the same? When tempted to worry and discontent, focus on God’s promise and his faithfulness to provide.
Fourth, invest your heart and life in following the Lord. King Solomon had all the riches of the world, yet he wrote this with his God-given wisdom, Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Contentment that rests in the Lord always is confident that their life is secure in grace. Sure, earthly trouble may find us, but eternal trouble will not. Our biggest need and problem is solved in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
So glance past the circumstance and remember that contentment is a state of mind not a state of mind not a state of being.
Apply: Which of these focal points will help you overcome discontent and life with stronger contentment?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of your promises and provisions. Lead me to always rest in you to find contentment no matter what my earthly circumstances. AMEN.
Philippians 4:11-13: The Secret to Contentment Part 2
Devotions based on week 11 of Joy in the Journey: Contentment (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 4:11 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.
Secret #1: Repent of Discontent
Learning to be content means to first recognize what leads me to be discontent. Just like learning to play a sport and become more proficient at it necessitates a coach pointing out what is getting in the way of you improving. So, if we are to learn the secret to contentment, we must recognize the barriers to contentment and repent of discontent. Stop the habits of our heart that causes discontent and allow our heart to be led by God’s Spirit into contentment.
Reflect on these four things. All of them are indicators of discontent in our hearts:
First, is your heart captivated by material things? Perhaps at first read, your reaction is “No.” Great…however, let’s look a bit deeper. Do you find yourself unsettled by what you make at work and often think about making more? Do you find yourself being anxious about financial things and find it hard to stop that worry? Do you scroll social media and become fixed on what you wish you could buy or experience? These are just some of the symptoms of discontent. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
Second, do you find yourself tempted to dishonesty to gain materially? This doesn’t mean just outright stealing, but it may mean taking a few things from work because they “owe” you for extra time you put in. You maybe tempted to fib on a performance review, or unnecessarily speak against a coworker to gain a raise. Maybe you engage in a shady business deal to make more money or are tempted to overstate the work you actually did. It’s time to repent like John the Baptist called soldiers to repent from extortion: Luke 3:14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” [John the Baptist] replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
Third, do you find yourself compromising your faith or the nurture of it to pursue material gain? Again, our quick response might be “No! Of course not!” However, is it a temptation to not spend time in the word because you have to get to work early? Do you take a promotion that takes you away from church most Sundays? Do you have to work so long that you have little time to nurture your family in the Word? A heart after money fails to be a heart after the Lord! Paul wrote to Timothy, 1 Timothy 6:10 Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Finally, do you find yourself discontent with how others perceive you? Do you find yourself chasing a status, a “like,” or the approval of people? Do you feel “less than” if the right people don’t give you accolades or recognition? Do you find yourself expending a lot of effort to please people, but feeling like it’s an impossible task? You might be discontent because you don’t have the status you think you should have. Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
It’s time to repent of all the things in your heart that cause discontent. Remember this truth: Stuff and status don’t satisfy.
Repent of discontent is secret number one to finding contentment!
Apply: Search your heart today. Which of the four things above resonantes as an issue in your heart? Take time today to repent. Confess your sin and turn from it and to your Savior. In him you have all you need!
Prayer: Forgive me for my discontent and all the ways my heart is captivated by stuff and status. Lead me away from a love of stuff to a greater love for you. Lead me to trust that I can turn from the sin of discontent to find contentment in your grace. AMEN.
Philippians 4:11-13: The Secret to Contentment Part 1
Devotions based on week 11 of Joy in the Journey: Contentment (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 4:11 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.
In central Texas, schools have started for the 2025-26 school year. The year can be met with disappointment that the freedom of summer is over or a sense of optimism for what the new year of learning brings.
Education is designed to be a process of learning. Kindergarteners don’t start with calculus math. Fifth graders aren’t expected to know the periodic table and chemical equations. However a kindergartener who is just learning to count to ten can, if they are open to learning, do complicated math equations by senior year in high school. They learn math. They learn chemistry. Content is taught. Homework is assigned. Assignments are completed. Experiential lab work is offered.
All of these things go into learning a subject.
Contentment is no different.
While one baby may be more “content” than another, it doesn’t take long when a small child desires something they don’t have. By mid-two’s an all out tantrum can ensue when they don’t get what they want. So much for contentment!
The reason that contentment has to be learned is because it doesn’t come naturally for our sinful nature.
Satan loves to get us to focus on the things we don’t have. Perhaps just take an inventory.
When you scroll through your social media, do you find yourself thinking, “I wish I had that,” or “I wish I could go there.” By scrolling through posts you see the “highlight” reel of someone else’s life and wish that your life could be the same or better. Discontent sinks in.
When you watch TV, YouTube, Netflix or your favorite channel, advertisements come up that try to convince you your life would be better if you bought their product. Some you have no interest in. But others get you thinking, “Yeah, I could really use that.” Marketing and advertisements can create discontent when we are convinced our life would be better than it is if we buy or do the right things.
When you wake up in the morning and moan that you have to go to work, head off to school or simply engage the day’s work at home, it could be a symptom of internal discontent. When we have a hard time seeing the positive and tend to focus on the negative, we may be struggling with discontent.
So we have to learn to be content. What do I do with all I see, experience, desire so that I move from discontent to contentment?
Learn the secret like Paul did. Really it’s a secret that lives in plain sight when we view life through God’s lens instead of our lens. God loves to give our hearts contentment as a gift of his Spirit. So the rest of this week we will explore the secret God wants us to learn to find contentment.
Apply: Today, notice what gives you contentment or what causes discontent. Make a chart of each on a piece of paper. What do you notice?
Prayer: Lord, open my heart to learn contentment from you! AMEN.
Philippians 4:10 Joy comes when someone cares!
Devotions based on week 11 of Joy in the Journey: Contentment (WATCH HERE)
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.
Joy comes when someone cares.
Words are easy. Actions are meaningful.
Paul was in prison in Rome and was always encouraged when he had the support and aid of those around. Paul rejoiced, not in his release, not in better conditions, not even in the hope of freedom, but in the renewed concern and support of the Philippians. They had sent a gift through Epaphroditus, and Paul recognized it not simply as money or resources, but as a tangible expression of their love and partnership in the gospel.
Joy is not found in possessions, but in the relationships God provides within the body of Christ. Paul did not rejoice because his bank account was now secure. He rejoiced because the gift showed that he was not forgotten. Their love and concern were evidence of their ongoing fellowship in Christ.
Notice that Paul says, “Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.” He acknowledges that their care was consistent, but their ability to express it had been limited. This distinction is important. Concern for others begins in the heart, and generosity flows out of that concern when God opens the door.
How essential it is to maintain a heart posture of readiness! Opportunities to serve, give, or encourage may not always be available. But when they come, the willingness of our hearts will determine whether we step into them with joy.
How many times have we thought of calling someone, writing a note, or giving a small gift—only to put it off until the opportunity slipped away? Paul’s joy was not simply that the Philippians remembered him; it was that they acted when the opportunity presented itself.
Every act of kindness, every gift, every expression of concern is a reflection of God’s provision. When someone cares for us, we should not only thank them, but also rejoice in the Lord who moved their heart. When we care for others, we become instruments of God’s love and a reminder of His faithfulness.
Unfortunately, we can be indifferent to the needs of others. We may say we care, but we do not act. We may have good intentions, but we fail to follow through. Our selfishness gets exposed.
Paul rejoices because the Gospel is at work in and through the Philippians. They just didn’t express a desire, they acted on the desire. The love and forgiveness of Christ shone through. In Christ, God has never forgotten us. His concern for us is not just a thought. It is action. He gave His Son to meet our deepest need, the forgiveness of sins. Jesus came, not just with words of love, but with the cross and empty tomb to prove that His concern is real and eternal. Because of His grace, we can overcome selfishness and be empowered to serve others with genuine love.
Application: Who in your life might be waiting for a reminder that they are not forgotten? Perhaps it’s a missionary, a family member walking through hardship, or a friend quietly battling loneliness. A small act of kindness like an email, a meal, or a handwritten note can become a channel of God’s love and a reason for them to rejoice in the Lord.
Prayer: Gracious Lord, thank You that Your concern for me is never just an idea but an active, saving love shown in Christ. Forgive me for the times I have ignored opportunities to care for others. Give me a heart that is always ready, and eyes to see the needs around me. May my concern for others reflect Your own love and bring joy to those I serve. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Philippians 4:7 – Peace You Don’t Understand!
Devotions based on week 10 of Joy in the Journey: Joy (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
“I just can’t explain it.”
“It’s hard to put in words.”
“I feel at peace, even though my circumstances are crazy.”
When Jesus sat with his disciples the night before he went to the cross, he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
The peace of God is the gift of a right status with God. The division that sin creates has been done away with by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When I know the biggest problem my heart could ever tackle is solved at the cross, my soul can be at peace.
Remember this section of Philippians started off with the direction to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Paul then reminds us to “Let our gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” He then encourages us to offload our anxiety to the Lord in prayer.
So what remains when the Lord fills our heart with joy, we know that the LORD is with us and we get to live each day to his glory and that whenever we have anxiety we can offload it to God?
Peace.
You can’t explain it. You can’t diagram it. You can’t even fully understand it.
It is a gift from God that God only knows, but gives us to experience.
But it does something even greater than settling our soul.
It is given as a gift to “guard your hearts and your minds.”
It guards our hearts from being disrupted by events around us. It guards our hearts from experiencing the roller coaster of emotions connected with hardship or tragedy. It guards our hearts from drifting our loyalty to something that appears to give peace, but really can’t.
It guards our minds into thinking negatively about ourselves or others. It guards our minds from the lies of Satan that disrupt our peace. It guards our minds from allowing doubt and uncertainty to creep in.
Peace is the thick wall that the Spirit builds around our hearts and our minds to ensure that the love, grace and goodness of Christ are always deeply engrained in our way of believing and way of thinking.
So how do you get this peace?
It comes from God and is rooted in Christ Jesus.
Peace is the result of growing deeper in our connection to the LORD through his Word. Peace is the reality when our identity, value, and purpose are wrapped up in the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. The more time we spend with our Savior, the more opportunity for God’s peace to build itself in our hearts and minds.
When you lack peace?
Don’t focus on just changing your external circumstances. Give the Spirit of God an opportunity to work inside you. Spend time in the Word. Spend time in prayer. Offload the anxiety. Remember the Lord is near.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Apply: Is your heart at peace this morning? What is attacking it? Spend time with the Lord in his Word and prayer…and experience God bring you his peace.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the peace you give, which I don’t understand, but I experience in a very real way! AMEN.