| “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.” |
| —Philippians 4:12 |
One of our nation’s founders, Benjamin Franklin, is quoted as saying:
“Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.”
This leads to the obvious question: “How ‘rich’ are we?” In other words, how content are we?
Contentment represents a deep peace within all four human modalities: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical. It is not achieved by some false measure. Rather it comes from our certain connection to the God who created us and loves us with His everlasting love. The Apostle Paul stated it well, when he wrote the following in Philippians 4:12:
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.
Through the experiences of our lives—wherein we see the hand of God leading us, protecting us, cheering us onward, and loving us—we find genuine contentment. In our daily life we experience a gift from God lived out in the reality of our existence.
As we begin a new day, let’s remember that, in every situation, God is working out His perfect will in our lives. When we experience times of trial and difficulty, such happenings come to help refine us and to lead us so that we will have a greater dependency on God. When we experience times of great joy, they reinforce the reality of His divine presence. In each situation, God will grant us contentment, if we trust fully in Him. So, let’s do just that throughout this new day.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 3, 2017
