DEVOTION – MONDAY,
JUNE 18, 2012
‘The Secret of Contentment”
BY
DR CHARLES STANLEY
In
today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of
experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise
you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're
often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's
possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when
there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking
of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life--even
unfulfilled desires.
It's
usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel
discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things
actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not
saying there's some spiritual stage where you will never again experience
anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings
grip us.
This
is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering,
from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor.
11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain,
extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that
contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How
do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do
you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give
his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension"
(Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!
Used with
permission from In Touch Ministries,
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