by Zach Roll

Finding Contentment in Christ.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link

“…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.”

Philippians 4:11-12 English Standard Version 

Starting out, we didn’t have a lot, but God provided everything we needed.

I have written a devotion before on the difference between joy and happiness. Just last week I was on my way home from work listening to the radio, and a discussion came up where the hosts were talking about getting out of debt. They said the word “content” was misused, and should have been replaced with “complacent.” Why is this important? It is a good concept to understand and discern when it comes to our faith in Christ.

So what does having contentment mean? Paul talks about being content in all situations: that is, in both poverty and abundance, sickness and health. The contentment that Paul is talking about is found in our hope and trust in what Christ has done for us. No matter what we face here on earth, no matter how bad or how good things are for us, contentment is the hope that we have in Christ which is eternal life. Complacency is when we feel like our relationship with God is good enough, and our faith begins to stagnate. Contentment is found through an ever growing relationship with Jesus. Since Christ conquered death for us, and we believe in Him as God the Son and as the atonement for our sin, nothing we are going through on earth has any power over us. You can be at rock bottom in your life, and still be completely taken care of and content in Christ. Ultimately we win because of Him. This is what is meant in Romans 8:31.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” 

Bad things still happen to us in this fallen world, but we have been reconciled to God through Jesus, and we find contentment in Him. Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO