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| Content At Last Philippians 4: 11,13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. How can we be content when things seem to go wrong? The Apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content in whatever state he was in. What was his secret of contentment? How was he able to "do all things" and remain content. I am reminded of the popular way of saying things. For example: "I don't do windows." "I don't do toilets." "I don't do the flu." "I don't do chronic illness." The Apostle Paul did "do ship wrecks", he did "do hunger", he did "do beatings" etc. and through it all he learned to "do contentment". Verse 13 tells us he did it through Christ who strengthened him. I wondered how exactly does this work? A song I love, by This Hope, gave me a little more insight into this. Listen to the words of the last verse of "Joy Anthem": "Your joy is strength, oh Lord, It lifts us up in troubled times We find our hope in you Remembering that you brought us life When we see You, not circumstance Then we will be content at last. " Did you notice the last two lines? "When we see You, not circumstance, then we will be content at last." This is the secret to contentment that the Apostle Paul had found. Instead of seeing his circumstances, he saw the Lord in his circumstances. Are you fearful and anxious, looking at your seemingly impossible circumstances and wondering how you will ever manage? Look up and see the Lord in your circumstances today. Focus on Him today. Dear Father, So often I see only my circumstances and fail to see You in them. Please help me to focus on You when I would normally be tempted to focus on my troubles. Amen. Author's Note: It seems when I write a devotional, that God always gives me a chance to put into practice what He has given me to write. It was no different with this one. I almost did not send it out. I told my husband that I felt like such a hypocrite sending it when I fail at the very lesson I wrote. But he told me to send it anyway. He said maybe it would come back to me and I would reread it and be encouraged by it. So here it is, not, because I have succeeded at this, but because I have failed at it and need reminding. |