Contentment in Christ
by Harold Vaughan
Scripture Reading --Philippians 4:11b
"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."
I met Ida Brinkman at a church in Ohio. She was carried into the sanctuary with various equipment, including a respirator. Ida and her paraphernalia took up a lot of space.
Preaching that evening, I glanced down where Ida was lying. Her radiant countenance arrested my attention. She had an angelic glow about her.
After the service, I introduced myself. After small talk, I asked Ida why she was bedridden. Forty-nine years earlier, she'd contracted polio; and the disease had left her paralyzed. Unable to help herself, she'd required others' assistance. For 49 years, her husband had taken care of her until he passed away. When I met her, she was living in a nursing home.
I asked Ida how she kept a good attitude in spite of her difficulties. "I try not to look at my circumstances," she replied. "I look to Jesus."
After visiting Ida, I prayed, Lord, if Ida can make it, so can I! What an inspiration to meet people like Ida who find peace and contentment in spite of difficult circumstances! A senior citizen once told me, "I have so many blessings in my life. I have no right to fret over what I've been denied."
The apostle Paul learned to be content. Whether hungry or full, in prison or in a palace, in a riot or in a revival, Paul trained himself to be satisfied. Notice that he "learned . . . to be content." Having experienced so many difficulties, Paul conditioned himself to take things in stride. Learning to be content is one of life's most valuable lessons.
Bringing It Home: List some of the trials Paul endured. How do you think he learned to be content when he faced so many difficulties?
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