https://youtu.be/uisK2hGGpo0 I look to you by Selah

College of Contentment

The lights are all on, the television is blaring and time for bed is getting near. Suddenly, all went dark. Quiet. The power had gone off. Surely someone in the neighborhood had reported an outage. There was no storm raging. No known reason for the electricity to stop. Find the candles and matches as time passes by. Growing impatient and anxious. Concerned that there will be no power in the morning for coffee. (It May seem silly to those who don’t drink coffee, but what a dependency we have on caffeine!)

“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Discontent and complaining

Philippians was written by Paul during his first imprisonment. Discontent and complaining come naturally to man. People do not need to be taught to complain. It is done fast enough without any education. The most valued things on earth need to be cultivated. Contentment is one of the things that must be cultivated. Paul said, “I have learned”. In essence, he is saying that he did not know how to be content before.

Struggling with contentment

The word content means to be pleased with your situation and not hoping for change or any improvement. Yikes! Could we find contentment in a cold dungeon? I struggle to find contentment in the cold weather!

Learning contentment

Paul suffered many hardships in his ministry. His learning to be content did not come like a walk in the park. We do not learn to be content without some discipline. It is through the trials of life that we can be educated in the college of contentment’.

Choosing to be content

In the dark of the night, I had time to reflect on how blessed we are. Choosing to be content and allowing God to control the circumstances takes discipline and self-control.

Paul continues with Philippians 4:13, NKJV, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Student of College of Contentment

So, hush your complaining, even though it comes very naturally, and continue to be a student in the ‘College of Contentment’.

 

Paula Wallace

The words “college of content” were penned by Charles Spurgeon.