Contentment in Every Season

On the weekend, my husband and I visited one of our favourite garden centres before spending the afternoon digging and planting in the backyard. As we worked, I remarked that this is my favourite time of year. The days are warm, the grass is lush, the trees are beginning to leaf out, and the flowers are bursting into bloom. Summer’s intense heat has not yet arrived to turn the lawn brown or leave the garden looking dry and parched. Right now, everything feels fresh, vibrant, and full of life.

Spring is such a hopeful season as we anticipate new life everywhere. It reminds us of the seasons in our lives when we are aware of God’s blessing. Our relationships are strong, our health is good, our bank accounts are robust, our opportunities are many.

But then come the dry, parched days when the heat is intense. Every moment seems to be a struggle. How do we take hold of the blessings of God during the hard seasons?

The Apostle Paul experienced more pain than most. For him, physical, emotional and spiritual suffering seemed to be a part of his everyday life (2 Cor. 11: 24-30). Yet even during imprisonment, Paul was able to pen these words:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13

biblical contentment is learned

Paul wrote, “I have learned . . .” Those of us who have learned to play a musical instrument or a sport know it doesn’t come easily. It requires commitment, diligence, and hours of practice. Contentment is not an inherent quality in most of us. We have to long for it, fight for it and learn how to live it out.

How is contentment learned? We grow in godliness through time in God’s Word, in prayer, and with His people. We stop comparing ourselves with others. We practice gratitude on a daily basis. There’s no “five easy steps” to becoming more content, but focusing on the blessings that God provides – moment by moment, big or small – helps us to realize that He is always providing.

biblical contentment is independent of circumstances

Paul wrote five of his epistles while either under house arrest or in a Roman jail. Still, he never strayed from the mission of spreading the Gospel and planting churches. His circumstances did not determine how he lived because his assurance and hope were placed in God’s eternal purpose and plan.

Our life circumstances are fluid. They constantly change, sometimes dramatically. If we place our hope in our health, our relationships, our material possessions, our finances, or even our opportunities, we will inevitably be disappointed. But if we remain hopeful in what is yet to come, despite what this life brings, we have found the secret to the contentment Paul speaks about.

biblical contentment is rooted in Christ

“I can do all things through Christ” is one of the most misquoted verses in scripture. Paul was not a motivational speaker promoting superhuman abilities or self-sufficiency; instead, he spoke of the ability to “do all things” in the context of contentment. Paul had learned to be content, no matter what, because of the indwelling power of Christ within him.

In a desperate search for peace, our culture constantly flip-flops from consumerism to minimalism. This tempts us to look everywhere to find contentment in our lives. However, as believers, our contentment is found in Christ alone. We can fully endure in any situation when we rest in God’s goodness and trust in His promises. Finding contentment in Christ means we will never be disappointed or left wanting more.

Megan Hill writes, “The truth helps us to correctly understand our present situation because we trust that it is given by a sovereign God for our good and His glory.”

If you’re feeling discontented today, look to the One who alone will satisfy. Trust God in the hard seasons, knowing that His goodness still abounds when we rest in Him.

But godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-7