The Secret Of Contentment | Daily Devotional 1649

You're listening to the My Morning Devotional Podcast, episode 1649. Today's devo is called The Secret of Contentment. Hey there, we're the Alestes, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy, the to-do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why every weekday we share a five-minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast. Well, happy Thursday, everybody. This is probably one of my favorite days of the week. I can't tell you why, but I just love Thursdays because they're slow and you just want it's usually raining on a Thursday. Maybe it's just in Miami. Okay, but let's jump into what's important: the Bible. The word of God. We are talking about contentment today. And so uh let's be content on this Thursday with Philippians 4, verse 10 through 13, and it says this 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. What a verse or what a collection of verses right there. I bet if you were to ask anybody on the street or any believer if they were to, if you were to ask them, what are the verses that come before I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me, they would probably tell you it's something about they're going into battle and they're about to face a giant or face an army, and they just decided that I can do all things. When in fact, Paul is talking about not having enough. Paul is talking about being in need. The book of Philippians, the letter of Philippians, was actually written when he was in prison. He was in the most needy of situations. He didn't have freedom, the one thing we're all blessed to have. He didn't even have that. And what he starts to break down here is he's saying that you were concerned for me, and I rejoiced in the Lord that you thought of me, that you were concerned. You didn't have the opportunity to really do much about it, but you were still concerned in your heart. But then he sets the record straight. He's saying, I'm not saying that I'm in need, because I have learned that in whatever situation that I am in, I know how to be content. I have learned how to be content. You see, I can do all things through Christ isn't primarily about accomplishing whatever we want. It's not even the context of this verse. In the context of this verse, Paul is talking about contentment, that we can do all things, meaning the things that we don't want to do through Christ who strengthens us. Paul has learned how to live with a lot and how to live with a little. He was he learned how to have plenty, and then he also learned how to go without. And after all of that, he says, I can do all things. You see, we often think that I'll be content when I achieve something. I'll be content when I get to the place that I want to be in. For example, I'll I'll be content when I get the job or when I have more money. I'll be content when the man of my dreams walks into my life, or the woman of my dreams walks into my life. I'll be content when I finally have the baby that I've been praying for. Or I'll be content when life finally slows down. Which we all know that last one is a complete lie, because life never slows down. But Paul discovers something different. Contentment has nothing to do with us getting what we want. Contentment is discovering, this is so powerful. Contentment is discovering that Christ is enough, whether you have everything you want or not. Think about this. If our joy depends on us having more, we will always need more. If our joy is based on us having more, then when we get to the next level of more, that more won't be enough for us. Every time you get more, you want more. So if my joy will come at more, I'll never receive joy. But if Christ is enough, not that Christ is more, if Christ is enough for me right here and right now, then you can receive, we can receive what God gives us without constantly needing something else in our lives. And this is a decision that we all have to make. If Paul wrote this while in prison, where are you today? If Paul chose contentment in the midst of a prison, and it's not even a prison that he should have been in, he never deserved that. He was in a season that he did not deserve. But if he found contentment in a physical environment, even a mental environment that was never meant for him, and he had no, he didn't deserve to be in prison, then where are you at today? You might be thinking, I don't deserve to be here. You might be in a situation that you did not pray for. You might be in a situation that you've been praying to get out of for years and years and years. And so I want to ask you, what have you been telling yourself that you need in order to be fully content? What's that thing? What's that achievement? What's that finish line that you have to get to, that we all have to get to, but specifically to you, that you think if I get there, then I'll finally be content. Think about it, but let's pray about it. Lord, we just thank you for today. We thank you, Lord, that we can find contentment and joy and peace in you. I pray that you would just teach us the secret of contentment. I pray that you would teach us the secret of contentment. Help us enjoy the life that you've given us, Father, without constantly looking for or longing for more. I pray that you would help us be self-controlled so we're not always looking for the things that we don't have and remind us that our identity, our security, who we are, and our joy is found in you. In Jesus' name, amen. So there you have it, your five minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you've found value in this devotional, share it with a friend, leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow, we pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.