Praise Chapel Of Anaheim
ÒThe Secret of ContentmentÓ
Pastor Albert Garcia
Sunday, July 26, 2009

TEXT: Philippians 4:10-13

INTRODUCTION: The apostle Paul wrote this letter while living in very difficult circumstances.

Ÿ Written 64 A.D.

Ÿ Paul when writing this letter is a prisoner.

Ÿ He is chained to a Roman soldier.

Ÿ He is incarcerated in some probably small apartment in the city of Rome.

Ÿ He is in isolation.

Ÿ He is unable to move about.

Ÿ He has lost the freedom to work and minister at the capacity that he once had.

Ÿ  He is in need, probably existing on bare minimum level.

Ÿ He is afflicted with the difficulty of being a captive.

Ÿ In the midst of these circumstances he writes something powerfulÉ(V 11) ÒI have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.Ó (V 12) ÒI have learned the secret of being content in any and every situationÓ

Ÿ Today I want to speak on the topic of contentment.

Ÿ I will cover 3 areas.

o   The definition of the word contentment.

o   The one great benefit of contentment.

o   The unnaturalness of contentment.

o   The secret of contentment. (2 keys in discovering the secret of contentment)

He is richest who is content with the least.

Socrates (470–399 b.c.)

 

I.              THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD CONTENTMENT.

a.    Greek word  ÒAutarkesÓ

1.    This word comes from two root words.

a.    ÒAutosÓ means – ÒhimselfÓ

b.    ÒArkeoÓ means – ÒTo sufficeÓ

2.    When combining these two root words together you get the true meaning of the word contentment.

a.     Òself-sufficiencyÓ (In a good sense)

b.    ÒSufficientÓ

c.    ÒAdequateÓ

3.    The basic meaning of this word is marvelous.

a.    It means – ÒTo be satisfiedÓ

b.    It means – ÒTo have enoughÓ

c.    This word literally means – Òto have independence ofÓ , Òa lack of necessity for aid or helpÓ

d.    NOTE: It was used in some places outside the Scripture to refer to a person who supported himself without anyoneÕs aid.

e.    What Paul was saying was this – ÒI have learned to be satisfiedÓ , ÒI have learned to be sufficient in myself, and yet not in myself as myself, but in myself as indwelt by Christ.Ó

 

b.    What contentment is not.

1.    It is not a ÒI donÕt care attitudeÓ

a.    That would indifference.

b.    This attitude abolishes feeling and emotion.

2.    This is what the Stoics considered contentment. (A stoic is a member of ancient Greek school of Phylosophy)

a.    One ancient writer depicts what the Stoics considered contentment.

1.    "Begin with a cup or a household utensil, if it breaks say, `I don't care.' Go on to a horse or a pet dog, if anything happens to it say, `I don't care.' Go on to yourself and if you're hurt or injured in any way say, `I don't care.' And if you go on long enough and if you try hard enough you'll come to a state when you can walk your nearest and dearest suffer and die and say, `I don't care.'"

 

II.            THE ONE GREAT BENEFIT OF CONTENTMENT.

a.    You live free from the fear of circumstances. (You donÕt live paranoid of what may happen tomorrow!)

1.    You are not afraid to lose your job.

2.    You are not afraid of the doctorÕs reports.

3.    You are not afraid that you may not have enough to eat.

4.    You are content in whatever situation you are placed.

a.    Hebrews 13:5-6 ÒKeep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ÒNever will I leave you; never will I forsake you.Ó 6So we say with confidence, ÒThe Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?Ó

 

5.    Where there is fear there is torment.

a.    1 John 4:18 Òfear involves torment.

b.    If I am afraid of how I am going to pay my bills without a job. This brings torment!

c.    WHERE THERE IS CONTENTMENT THERE IS NO FEAR!

 

III.         THE UNNATURALNESS OF CONTENTMENT.

a.    Contentment does not come natural.

1.    It is our nature to never be satisfied (content) instead we always want more. (This comes natural!)

a.    Eccle. 5:10 ÒWhoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his incomeÓ

b.    Eccl. 6:7 ÒAll manÕs efforts are for his mouth yet his appetite is never satisfied.

Ever heard the proverb?
ÒThe more one has the more he wants?Ó

b.    Contentment must be learned.

1.    The apostle Paul made this very clear.

a.    (V 11) Òfor I have learned in whatever state I am, to be contentÓ

b.    (V 12) ÒI have learned the secret of being content in any and every situationÓ

 

 

IV.          THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT. (2 Keys on finding contentment in any circumstance)

a.    Put your confidence and trust in God. (Not in your abilities or circumstances)

1.    When your confidence is in God you do not worry because you are certain that God is in control of everything.

2.    When your confidence is in God you know that God allows circumstances to merely unfold a greater purpose in life through the circumstances.

a.     Romans 8:28 ÒAnd we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

One man saidÉ
Ò A contented man is the one who enjoys the scenery along the detours.

 

 

3.    When our confidence is in God we are certain that God will never leave us but rather is right by our side.

a.    Hebrews 13:5-6 ÒKeep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ÒNever will I leave you; never will I forsake you.Ó6So we say with confidence,  ÒThe Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?Ó

John Mc Carthur comments on this verseÉ
ÒThe reason Paul was content was because he knew that the times and the seasons and the opportunities of life were controlled by a sovereign God. And until you learn that you will never be content, until you come to the place in your life where you understand that God is sovereign and is ordering everything for His own holy purposes, and is working all things after the counsel of His own will and is making all things work together for good, until you understand that you will always be discontent because you will take on the responsibility to organize and order your own life and you will frustrate yourself if you can't control everything.

If I believe that God is sovereign, and He is, if I believe that God orders all circumstances to accomplish His own holy purpose, then I can be content in anything because everything is under control. Discontent comes when we want to control everything. That usually is a direct result of a failure to understand that everything is already under control and somebody better than you is running it. God. See, Paul was fully confident that God was in charge and would order the events to meet his needs.Ó

b.    Be satisfied with what you have.

1.    DonÕt try to keep up with the Joneses. (This robs your contentment)

2.    Paul was satisfied with the little he had. (He was content with the bear necessities.)

a.    1 Timothy 6:8 ÒBut if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

3.    DISCLAIMER: This does not mean that if God wants to bless you with more that you reject.

a.    This simply means that you will be satisfied with the bear necessities.

b.    The apostle Paul experienced times of plenty and times of lack. (Yet he was satisfied in any and all circumstances)

 

(V 11-12) ÒI am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I 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.

c.    Job understood what it was like to have plenty and to be in want. (Yet he was satisfied in any and all circumstances)

1.    Job 1:21 ÒNaked I came from my motherÕs womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away may the name of the LORD be praised.Ó

 

d.    The LordÕs Prayer never teaches us to pray for wants but rather for needs.

1.    Matthew 6:11 ÒGive us today our daily bread.

 

One man saidÉ
ÒContentment consists not in great wealth but in few wants.

One man saidÉ
ÒContentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.

IN CLOSING: We cannot control the circumstances but we can control how we respond to the circumstances.

¯ God has called us to live in peace and contentment.

¯ Contentment does not come natural. (We must learn it!)

¯ There is a great benefit to contentment.

o   You can live free of circumstances.

o   You can live free of torment. (SOME ARE BEING TORMENTED WITH WORRY!)

¯ God wants us to tap into the secret of contentment.

o   Put our confidence in God.

o   Be satisfied with what one has.

Fanny  Crosby was a lyricist in the 1800Õs
*She was known for her Pentecostal Christian hyms.
*She wrote over 800 hyms still sung today in most churches. (Among those wasÉÓSafe in the arms of JesusÓ & ÒTo God be the gloryÓ & ÒBlessed assuranceÓ
* What most people donÕt know is that she went blind shortly after birth.
*She wrote the following poem concerning her blindness.

Oh what a happy soul I am, / Although I cannot see;

I am resolved that in this world / Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy, / That other people don't;

To weep and sigh because I'm blind, / I cannot, and I won't.