Contentment, a state of happiness and satisfaction. The Lord tells us in these verses to be content in Him. All that we could possibly NEED besides the Lord is food and clothing. How often do I make the mistake of thinking that I need something other than the Lord, too often. I often find myself thinking about when I will be content in life. I will be content when I have this job, I will be content when I get married, I will be content when I have this, that, or the other thing. But what a great reality it is to realize that we can not possibly take anything out of this world with us. We can carry no friendship, no relationship, no job, nor any item into eternity with us yet I find myself looking all around me for temporary satisfactions. These temporary satisfactions will only lead me to a place in which I am deceiving myself, in a place farther from the Lord than I should be. If I’m being honest, I often become frustrated with the Lord when I don’t see what I want coming in the near future, patience is another thing that I need to work on. I get myself into bad situations when I try to do things in my own timing simply to find contentment. Not only do I end up less content than I was too begin with but I find myself further from the Lord than I ever thought or had planned. I now understand why the Lord hasn't brought things too me, because I think I’m ready, but He knows that I’m not. I must first find satisfaction in the Lord. I must stop seeking to find temporary contentment in things of the world and find not only my contentment, but my life in the Lord.
Paul is stating here how He learned to be content. when we learn something, a new skill for example, the knowledge isn't freely given to us. It isn't a one step process where at the end the Lord gives us the knowledge the second we end our prayer with Amen. Learning is constant, we never stop learning. Learning is defined as “the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience.” The Lord will give us those experiences to teach us, to give us that learning process. He will have us go through trailing times in which we can chose to grow in our faith and the comfort that we find in the truth of His word. If I fast forward to Philippians 4:13 Paul states “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” If I am in the Lords will and if His desires are my desires, He will not fail to give me the strength to fulfill His will or plan for my life. He will give me the strength to go through season in which I will learn not only to be content but to be wise, to love with Godly ...
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