“… I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I 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. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength … and my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:11-13, 19.
When life is going well, many of us are inclined to believe that it was our hard work that produced the dividends. We are pleased with ourselves until we find out that there are others who achieved more. Our self-belief and self-reliance then lead us to think that working harder would help us equal or exceed this new standard of success. We skip lunch, stay at the office longer, and forgo sleep. We accomplish more because of this, only to find out that someone else outdid us again. As a result, we continue to strive for more and more.
In times of sorrow and lack, many of us tough it out and give all we have to remedy the situation. We seem to cope well until the problem appears to persist longer than expected. We continue to fight and resist the unfortunate situation, until it drains our energy and leave us in despair. Self-pity and worrying seem to be our only option. We then seek out destructive vices and fleeting pleasures to help us forget our problems even for just a moment. With time, the amount of distraction we require to dull our pain continues to increase, until we become prisoners of the very things that we hoped would set us free.
We are prone to discontent, both during times of abundance and times of scarcity, if what we do and how we live are driven by our ego. Some people are never content and constantly want more, because their desire is to be better than everyone else around them all the time. The truth is, whenever we look around there will always be somebody better than us. It is also egoistic and delusional to believe that in everything, for as long as we put our hearts and minds into it, we can get the results we desire. This often leads to disappointment because there are always outside factors that affect the outcome of things. When faced with difficulties in life, our ego can blur our perspective and make us ask “why me?” as if we are entitled to be exempt from it. It is good to be strong and resilient in the face of challenges, but it is vanity to think that we can do it all by ourselves. These ways of thinking rob us of our peace. A satisfying life and a mind at peace can only be attained if pleasing God is the motivation behind our actions, and submitting to God is our first option, and not our last resort.
All I have were given to me by God; they were gifts. Yes, I worked hard for all of them, but if God had not blessed my efforts, all the hard work would have been for naught. A lot of things in my life also happened because I was at the right place and at the right time. How can I claim then that any of my successes were from my own efforts? If the circumstances had been slightly different, the outcome may not be the same. I had been given more than what I deserve. How can I ask for more? I also could not, in conscience, take all the gifts and use them for my own pleasure and self-promotion. I know for sure that God gave me what I have because He wants me to use them in serving others. I am a mere steward of the many gifts I received. My job is to distribute and deliver them according to God’s plans. I am content with what I have, but that does not mean I do not continue to improve myself and strive for more. I maximize the use of my talents and pursue my passion. I try to be all that God created me to be. But I do all these knowing that beneath the worldly pursuits is a sense of purpose to use what I attain to serve others and be the answer to their prayers. I pursue my dreams in a manner that hopefully gets God’s approval, regardless of whether man approves. This perspective of life is what will lead to contentment in the midst of plenty.
It is more difficult to be content when life is not going our way. No one wants to hurt or be lonely or poor. Furthermore, no one wants to be perpetually suffering. However, it is possible to be content despite the pain, if only we try to see things from God’s perspective. In times of unhappiness and need, enduring them with a sense of purpose, knowing that God willed it for our good, our protection, sanctification, or growth, makes it more bearable. Going through difficult times can certainly make us wiser and stronger. It can even repair what was broken, prepare us to help and serve others, lead us to people who need us, and inspire others to follow us. We need to submit to God’s will and rest in His assurance that He will always be by our side, He will fight our battles, He will not allow any weapons formed against us to prosper, and He will comfort us and heal us. Even if we do not know what to do, He does. Even if we cannot fix or change the situation, He can. Even if we do not have the strength to fight, He has.
When your world is falling apart, seek the presence of God and feel it. Enjoy the peace His presence gives. Remember that God is close to the brokenhearted. You will not seek Him and not find Him. Your pains and fears naturally draw you close to Him. Remain in His presence until you experience the peace He promised He would give. Listen to His kind and loving voice that tells you, “it’s gonna be okay.” As His voice lulls you to sleep, He is making things happen, changing hearts, fixing what is broken, breaking chains of addiction, giving sight to those who cannot see the light, getting the attention of those who would not listen to His voice, healing the broken hearts and broken relationships, and quenching the thirst of those who are longing to be loved.
Everything eventually breaks, and people come and go. We should be grateful for the time we had to enjoy them. We should never waste our time dwelling on what was lost. Make room and be hopeful for what is to come. Do not look too close at our problems and miss the big picture. Step back a little and let God show us, when the time is right, what He sees from His vantage point. In the meantime, we should trust our all-knowing and all-powerful God that He knows what He is doing and has the power to change or fix everything, and He is always with us wherever we go. Whatever the outcome of our present struggles, we can be reassured that all will be well. This is faith, and faith is the secret to being content whether life brings you sunshine or brings you rain.