The Secret of Contentment

A few centuries ago, there was a famous tract written entitled "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain". It was a true account of a conversation that took place between a pastor named Dr. Stonehouse, a neighboring shepherd whom he later befriended. Dr. Stonehouse, who was on a journey, and becoming somewhat afraid due to the appearance of the sky that it would soon rain, accosted the shepherd and asked him what sort of weather he imagined might be coming.

 "It will be such weather as pleases me," answered the shepherd. Though the answer was delivered in the mildest and civilest tone that could be imagined, Dr. S. thought the words themselves rather rude and asked him how that could be. “Because,” replied the shepherd, “it will be such weather as shall please God; and whatever pleases him always pleases me." Dr. S. was quite satisfied with this reply and entered into conversation with the shepherd in the following manner: — “Yours is a troublesome life, honest friend." "To be sure, sir," replied the shepherd, " 'tis not a very lazy life; but 'tis not near so toilsome, as that which my Christ led for my sake, and he had every state and condition of life at his choice, and chose a hard one, while I only submit to the lot that is appointed me." “You are exposed to great cold and heat," said the gentleman. "True, sir," said the shepherd; " but then I am not exposed to great temptations; and so throwing one thing against another, God is pleased to make things more equal than we poor, ignorant, short sighted- creatures are apt to think. David was happier when he kept his father's sheep, on such a plain as this, and singing, some of his own psalms, perhaps, than ever he was when he became king of Israel and Judah." "You think, then," said the gentleman, “that a strenuous life is a happy one?" “I do, sir; and more especially so, as it exposes a man to fewer sins. If king Saul had continued a poor laborious man to the end of his days, he might have lived happy and honest, and died a natural death in his bed at last, which you know, sir, was more than he did."

After this conversation, Dr. Stonehouse maintained his friendship with the shepherd. Who continued in his spirit of contentment unto his old age eventually writing these words as he neared death…."As for my part, 1 am but very poorly in body, having very sore legs, and cannot perform the business of my flock without help. As to the things of this world, I have but little share; having my little cot to pray and praise God in, and a bed to rest on: so I have just as much of this world as I desire. But my garment is worn out, and some of my Christian friends think they must put their mites together and buy me one, or else I shall not be able to endure the cold in the winter: so I can say, good is the Lord! He is still fulfilling his promise, ' I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' " Although he had died a poor man, like Paul, he had learned the secret of contentment. In Philippians 4:11 Paul writes,  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (Phil 4:11)

The word translated contentment—autarkes was what the Stoics called the height of human experience and pinnacle of personal attainment. The content person was unaffected inwardly and outwardly by whatever was going on around him. He was a rock in the midst of a storm; a person without needs. This is why when somebody asked Socrates who the wealthiest person was, he responded: “He that is content with least, for contentment (autarkia) is nature’s wealth.” Socrates’ point is that true wealth is found in contentment, for the content person has no more needs.

Note that Paul says he learned contentment. This is the same word from which we get the term disciple. The verb tense suggests that this was something that Paul had come to learn overtime. He did not learn this lesson from one lecture or sermon. Through extraordinary life experience and extensive study God’s word, Paul learned the secret of contentment. If it took Paul some time and experience to learn this lesson, we should not be surprised if we find ourselves taking time to learn it too. So, we can all take heart remembering some lessons take a long time to learn. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a Christlike soul.

In verse 12, Paul explains what he means by learning to be content:

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Each phrase is a series of contrasts. He contrasts the bottom of human experience with the top; the lowest with the highest; the best with the worst. His point is that he has learned to be content regardless of what his circumstances are. His contentment is not dependent upon his circumstances.

The stoics taught that contentment could be achieved through self-sufficiency and complete independence. Paul however says that he discovered that the secret of contentment was in completely trusting Christ. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

There are three things worth noting about Paul’s secret of contentment:

Active not Passive

Note that Paul is not passive in his contentment. He is active “I can do”. His contentment is the result of his active pursuit of doing God’s will. He is active in ministry and active in his pursuit of holiness. As he seeks God and serves God, God strengthens him in that service. As he told the Philippians earlier…

Phil 2:12-13- work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

So Paul’s contentment was the result of activity not passivity.

Spiritual not Physical

Although Paul was active, the strength he speaks of was primarily spiritual not physical. Paul was not suggesting that he could do anything he wants. He couldn’t simply decide to jump in the air and fly. Nor could he decide to play baseball and hit a homerun every time he came to the plate. Although this verse is often abusively cited in this manner, this is not what it means. Paul is speaking in this context of being content in all circumstances. His point is that he can continue to honor and serve God regardless of the circumstances or environment he is in.

God’s will not his

Paul says he can do all things through Him who strengthens me. God gives his strength to his people so that they can accomplish his purposes not theirs. This was what God was trying to teach Israel as he led them out of Egypt- in rescuing them by parting the Red Sea, in providing water from a rock, and bread from heaven, in all these things God was teaching them to trust him. This was powerfully demonstrated in their conquest over Jericho. You remember how they won the city. God called them to take the Ark of the Covenant and with it to march around the city, without speaking a word, simply blaring trumpets for 6 days. Then on the seventh day, they marched around the city 7 times and then shouted and the wall collapsed. Clearly God was the one behind the collapse of the walls, but God “used” them in the process. It was all the power of God, but they were still an active force.

When years later the Israelites tried to use the same strategy against the Philistines, in 1 Samuel 4. Their strategy was to take the ark with them into battle. They figured that they could use the ark, and the power of God as a sort of magic wand or talisman to defeat their enemies. In short, they were seeking to use God, instead obeying God. The result was that they lost the ark and were miserably defeated. God strengthens us as we seek to obey him, but the converse doesn’t work. God will not be used by us. And to seek to use God and expect him to strengthen us when our own interests are in view is blasphemous. We are HIS slaves; he is not our slave.

The secret to Paul’s contentment was that he learned to trust in Christ, the one who gives him all the strength he needs, as he served him. This is essentially the same idea that he expressed to the Corinthians when he told them: Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:10)

Experience and the Word of God taught Paul to no longer lean upon his strength, his understanding, his wisdom, but to trust the plans and purposes of God. All he needed to worry about was obeying him. If obeying him meant preaching to unreached people groups and watching thousands get saved—he could do it. If obeying God meant being isolated in prison and deprived of all comforts—he could do that as well. He could trust and obey God and God would strengthen him for every situation he was placed in.

If we to would learn contentment, we also must take our eyes off of this world and its false hopes and instead set them firmly on the promises of God. We need to identify what God has commanded us to do in our current circumstances and make every effort to obey him. And then we must believe that he will give us the strength to obey him in those circumstances. As William Carey famously urged, “Expect Great things from God attempt Great things for God,” whether that is on the mission field or confined under house arrest.