Have you ever won a grand prize drawing, or been led to believe that you won some great prize? To actually win a grand prize drawing is amazing; A new TV, a trip to Hawaii, a new car. What can be very disappointing is to think you won a major grand prize, but then read the small print and realize you are only; “finalists to participate in a grand prize drawing for 10 million dollars”. You only needed to buy a bunch of magazines and fill out some forms before you could be entered into this exclusive publisher’s clearinghouse drawing. The reality of the marketing ploy began to sink in and the dream of a new house, yacht and world travel vanished as quickly as it came. A stranded Nigerian prince promises untold wealth if we only send him money via Western Union. It was a deal too good to be true, you might say. You just need to attend a full-day workshop to claim your timeshare prize. 

Part of us always thinks that somehow if we just had more money we would be happier, more fulfilled and content with life. That held belief drives people to pursue wealth and do things they never would have done without that carrot dangling in front of them. If history is any indicator, and it is, the correlation between money and happiness, does not line up. In fact, the opposite is true. Many people who have won the lottery have later said winning the lottery was the worst thing that ever happened to them and if they could go back and undo their fortune, they would. Often it is worldly wealth that creates discontentment, comparison, and increased anxiety. Many studies on the subject have found that on average, the wealthier a person becomes, the less percentage of that wealth they give away. This isn’t always the case. There are plenty of generous people who are wealthy and have done great things, but by and large, an increase in material wealth causes people to become more close-fisted and less generous. That diminished generosity flows from an increase in discontentment. The more we have, the more we want. And the more we want, the less content we are with what we already have. The more we give away, the less we have, and the greater that discontentment grows. It can be a vicious and destructive cycle, if we’re not careful in guarding our hearts. 

Today’s passage is a brilliant reminder from the Apostle Paul of what it means to be truly content. True contentment is not the fulfillment of what you desire, but the realization and appreciation of what you already have, no matter what that is. Paul had experienced the highs and lows of life, being wealthy and being poor; being popular and of a high status, and also being despised, tortured and persecuted. Yet through all of that, Paul realized that true, lasting contentment and fulfillment could only be found in a constant pursuit of Christ. He realized that Christ was the one who sustains him and gives him strength. What a powerful declaration. I can do all things through him who gives me strength. The opposite of that statement is also true. I can do nothing through anyone besides Christ. I can do nothing of any lasting significance in my own strength and ability. 

Paul had a big view of God, and his perspective of God determined the way he saw the world. He saw God not only as his source, but also as his daily provider for material things like food and shelter. He also viewed God as his source for things which are not tangible like peace, fulfillment, and joy. It is only through seeing ourselves and God for who we truly are that our heart and mind shift to such a God honoring viewpoint. It’s hard to do as our flesh always craves more and is never content with what we have; but our spirit knows that in Christ we have all that we’ll ever need. As our view of God becomes more accurate, our appreciation of what He has done for us comes into view.

Let’s be people who leave a legacy of finding contentment in Christ and Christ alone!