The Secret of Contentment

by: David B. Curtis

In Philippians 4:10-20, we find a picture of a contented man. Paul tells us that he has learned to be
content in any and every situation. The Bible has much to say about the subject of contentment. Let
me give you just a few examples.
Luke 3:14 (NKJV) Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to
them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into
this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we
shall be content. Are there any of us who lack food or clothing? If not, we all should be content. But
are we?
Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you
have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The Bible not only identifies contentment as a virtue, but speaks of contentment as a command. To
be content is one of the most strongly worded exhortations in the Scripture.
I think it would be safe to say that most people never experience contentment. Most Christians don’t
know contentment. We are a very discontent generation, and it seems that the more we have the less
content we are. We are commanded to be content. We are called to be satisfied, to say, “I have
enough.” Most of us don’t experience this, and I’m afraid we don’t see the seriousness of it.
Discontentment is questioning the goodness of God. The very first temptation in the history of
mankind was the temptation to be discontent.
God gave Adam and Eve everything a human being could imagine. They had access to everything in
the garden except one tree. Satan used that tree to sow the seed of discontentment in Eve’s heart.
He got her to question the goodness of God. Discontentment is a serious sin that has permeated our
culture. It’s hard to find a truly contented person nowadays.
In our text here in Philippians 4, we see a man who is content. We can learn a lot from Paul about
contentment.
Philippians 4:11 (NKJV) Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am,
to be content: Paul tells us here that he learned contentment. It wasn’t something that he always had,
he learned it. The word “content” is from the Greek word autarkes. It means: “to be self-sufficient, to
be satisfied, and to have enough.” It indicates certain independence, a lack of necessity of aid or
help, to be contained. It was used in extra-biblical Greek for a person who supported himself without
anyone’s aid. Paul is saying, “I’ve learned to be independent of external circumstances. I’ve learned
to be self-sufficient.”
Paul was totally independent of man because he was totally dependent upon God, as we’ll see in
Anchor Verse 13. We, living in the world today, desperately need to learn these principles. Can you
say, “I’m content” no matter what circumstances you are in? Are you a satisfied person? Do you have
enough? If not, then let’s study this passage and see if we can learn some principles that will help us
to be content in any circumstance. I think we can see five principles here that will help us learn
contentment.
1. Trust in the providence of God. Point: From the readings, we learned that Paul was contented,
even though he hadn’t heard from them for a long time, because he trusted in the providence of God.
He could do without and be content because he knew God was in control of the circumstances. Paul
didn’t panic and try to manipulate people; there was no turning of the screws to get things from
people. He didn’t send out prayer letters to the Philippians asking for support. He was sure that God,
in due time, would order the circumstances so his needs would be met. He knew that the times and
seasons and opportunities of life are controlled by a sovereign God. Until you learn that, you will
never be content. Until you come to the place in your life that you understand that God is sovereign
and is ordering everything for His own holy purposes and is working all things after the counsel of His
own will, you will always be discontent, because you’ll try to control everything in your life, and you’ll
be frustrated when you can’t. Paul is content, and it’s built on the fact that if he lacked, it was because
God had not given him an opportunity. Paul knew that if God wanted the Philippians to send him a
gift, they would. This is not fatalism but trusting completely in God’s providence. Paul trusted in God’s
providence and was content. You’ll never know contentment until you come to trust that a sovereign
God is guiding you and looking after you in every circumstance of your life for your good and His
glory. As long as you feel that things are out of control and you’ve got to get a hold of them and make
them happen, you’ve got a problem. We should work as hard as we can and be content that God is in
control of the results.
2. We need to learn to be satisfied with the basics of life.
Philippians 4:11 (NKJV) Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am,
to be content. The Greek word for “need” is husteresis, which means: “lack.” Paul is saying, “I don’t
lack anything.” Paul was content with very little. He was a prisoner, a content one. It didn’t matter that
he was chained to a Roman soldier, he was content.
Look at what he told Timothy about contentment:
1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into
this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we
shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a
root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
This is tough for our culture today; we’re not content with little or much. We are far, far beyond our
need for food and clothing. We eat for entertainment, and we possess every kind of gadget
imaginable, and still we need more! We’re like the Disney’s Little Mermaid who sings, “I’ve got
gadgets and gizmos a plenty, I’ve got who’s its and what’s its galore, you want thing-a-mabobs? I’ve
got twenty, but who cares, no big deal, I want more!” We’ve got it all, but we want more! Paul had
learned to be content with little, just the basics of life. He was telling the Philippians that he didn’t
have any needs, “Not that I speak in regard to need.” He was satisfied, contented.
We must learn to distinguish between our needs and our greed. We live in a society where our needs
exceed our wants. Because of the high pressure of commercials, I am now realizing that I need things
that I don’t even want.
Paul knew that the chief end of man was not to meet his needs, but to glorify God. Paul knew
contentment because he trusted in the providence of God and was satisfied with the basics of life.

How about you? Are you content? If you are not, you must not be: trust in the providence of God, and
be satisfied with the basics of life. Think about it!