Contentment in Abundance

After a long, unplanned hiatus from writing, I’m finally back at it, excited to share something that the Lord has been teaching me recently in His Word. So without further ado, let’s dive right in.

Aside from John 3:16, I would guess one of the most oft-quoted verses from the New Testament is Philippians 4:13—“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This is probably also the most misapplied verse, as it is slapped on circumstances that have absolutely nothing to do with the context in which these words were written. So what is their context? Let’s back out a bit and look at the verses preceding this one. Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, says:

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philip. 4:10-13, ESV)

Reading this passage in full, it becomes clear that in verse 13 Paul is referring to the ability to be content in any and every circumstance. In other words, whatever he faces, he can meet it through dependence on the strength of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but whenever I have read these verses, my mind has emphasized the negative circumstances mentioned and the ability we have in Christ to be content “even” in the hard times. Paul says, “I know how to be brought low”; “I have learned the secret of facing […] hunger […] and need.” But that’s not all he says. He also writes, “I know how to abound”; “I have learned the secret of facing plenty [...], abundance.” When I recently read this passage for the umpteenth time, these positive phrases jumped out at me like a jack-in-the-box.

Circumstances in my life had brought unexpected happiness, and I realized that I needed to relearn how to rejoice in abundance. The previous seven or so years of my life had been spent in the classroom of God’s sufficiency where He taught me how to be content in circumstances that were anything but what I had expected my life to be. Through that lengthy season, I learned to be unswervingly convinced of His goodness, fully assured of His faithfulness, trustingly content in His sovereignty in all things. I learned how to believe and to proclaim that God is good, no matter what. I learned to have joy even when I wasn’t happy. Grief, pain, longing, dissatisfaction, confusion, and questioning were some of the tools that God used to drive me to His Word and demonstrate His heart. And now, I can say with Paul, “I know how to be brought low.”

But then, as if leaving one room and entering another, I was ushered into a new season that came with a new classroom. It was as if God was whispering to my heart, “I have taught you how to be sure of my goodness in pain, now can you be sure of my goodness in pleasure? Can you receive gifts that are easy and not just those that are hard? Can you delight in my kindness as it is expressed in abundance just as you can when it is evidenced in drought?” Instead of pessimistically expecting that these new “good things” were bound not to last, I needed to remember that sometimes God delights in blessing His children with happy circumstances and that there is just as much to learn about Him in happy times as in sad.

Now, to be clear, it’s not as if the seven-year season was completely devoid of happiness; to the contrary, many happy times were had. Nor is it true that my current season is completely smooth-sailing either. Life is always a mixed bag. But I can tell even now that in the future I will look back on 2019 as the year when my spiritual journey began a new chapter, when a chapter whose theme was learning to trust in the unknowns of the desert gave way to a chapter whose theme is learning to trust by the unknowns of the quiet waters. And suddenly it makes sense why Paul needed to learn to be content in abundance and why we need the strength of the Lord in every circumstance—even the happy ones.

I’m a new student in this classroom, and I’m looking forward to what the Teacher has in store. I know that He is the same God that was with me in the last chapter and that He never changes. I know that His timing is perfect (Ecclesiastes 3:11), His ways and thoughts are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:9), and His purposes will prevail (Psalm 138:8). I know that His love is steadfast (Psalm 33:5), His grace is relentless (John 1:16), and His mercy is sure (Luke 1:50). And I look forward to the day when I can look back on this present chapter and say with Paul, “I have learned the secret of facing plenty,” and “I know how to abound.”

Whatever lesson is yours to learn in your current season, I pray that you will fall on the firm foundation of God’s kind sovereignty. Whether you need to learn how to be brought low or how to abound, I pray that you will be a willing student and that you will rest in God’s grace as you struggle to die to your flesh and live for Jesus every day. As you learn, you can be assured that your Teacher is a patient and gentle one who desires the best for you, which is to become more like Christ. In happiness and sadness, there is always much to learn, but whatever you face, He will see you through. 

PC: Pamela Hollis. Used with permission.