Contentment

Philippians 4.4-13

How to be content

Many pursue this all their lives and never attain it.
Very challenging in Philippi and on Long Island today as well as many places on the earth.
Tool of advertisers to make us feel the lack of it.
Living among a consumer driven culture and the rabble can affect us.
Our own sinful nature can come through in envy and jealousy.

Contentment

Not to be confused with complacency.
Holy discontent not bad, by itself discontentment is a miserable dead end, it is a terminal disease of the soul if not directly dealt with. It eats away the good things and finds companionship with the bad.

What is contentment?
*sufficient for one's self, strong enough or possessing enough to need no aid or support. The ability to stand alone. Not needing things to prop me up.
*independent of external circumstances
*at peace and accepting one's lot, with one's means, though the slenderest. Explains why poor people can be the most content.


How do I become and remain content?

1. Rejoice Always
In the LORD
He will never leave you.
Your name is written down in heaven.
Jesus Never Fails!
Lit. Be exceedingly glad / inappropriately cheerful

Independent of external circumstances- Look for the good in the adversity, the pain. Look for the rainbow in the storm. Dance in the rain!
Thomas Edison's factory fire.

Thomas Edison's laboratory was virtually destroyed by fire in December, 1914. Although the damage exceeded $2 million, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof.
Much of Edison's life's work went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison's 24-year old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris.
He finally found him, calmly watching the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind.
"My heart ached for him," said Charles.
"He was 67 - no longer a young man - and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, "Charles, where's your mother?"
When I told him I didn't know, he said, "Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives."
The headlines the next day read:
EDISON SEES HIS VAST PLANT BURN; Inventor and Wife Direct Salvage Work as Ten Buildings Go in $7,000,000 Fire. Explosion in Film Factory at 5:20 o'Clock Followed by Others as Blaze Sweeps On. All of 7,000 Employes to Report Today and Rebuilding to Begin.


We long for perfection because we were created in God's image. We live with imperfection because of sin in the world. In our current situation rejoicing always is therapeutic! One day perfection will come!
Romans 8.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons,

I Corinthians 13.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears




2. Be Gentle Outwardly
Keep your mouth shut.
Keep your heart in tune with Jesus. Gentle Shepherd
Keep your focus on God's Kingdom.


3. Do Not Worry About Anything.
To be troubled with cares
Jesus told us not to worry about food and clothing. Paul adds anything.

We have to cast our cares upon Christ or we will be troubled by them.


4. Pray About Everything
WithThanksgiving!
when we come before God in the hour of trouble, remembering his great goodness to us in the past, and therefore thanking him, we ought to have faith enough to believe that the present trouble, about which we are praying, is sent in love.

God's peace
Transcends all understanding
Guarding hearts
Guarding minds
In Christ Jesus


5. Think Wholesomely.
The joy of a good conscience.
The gladness of God's just.

6. Live Realistically
Know what it means to live in plenty
Know what it means to live in want

7. Remember where your strength comes from!


V.13 endynamoō
Psalm121 The Whole Psalm

So many blessings
Such grateful hearts
Contentment with godliness is great gain.