Learning A Secret

Philippians 4:8-14
⁸And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. ¹⁰How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹²I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ¹⁴Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

2 Corinthians 12:10
That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Timothy 6:6-8
⁶Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. ⁷After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. ⁸So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

Hebrews 13:5-6

⁵Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” ⁶So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

“Contentment is the inward, gracious, quiet spirit that joyfully rests in God’s Providence”
-Erik Raymond

“Contentment is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord at His disposal”
 -Sinclair Ferguson

“If grace has really changed our hearts, we don’t ultimately care if life goes the way we want it, as long as we have Him.”    
-Dr. Tim Keller