As a senior in high school, my son, Bryan made the decision to pursue a degree in Marine Biology. This meant we needed to find a college by the ocean. With two choices in mind, Bry and I travelled down south to compare his top two choices, Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. The first stop was the College of Charleston. For me, this was my top choice, simply because Charleston is my favorite city with its beauty and rich history. Bryan made observations, gathered information, and we moved on to Florida. Touring Eckerd’s campus and watching my son, I immediately knew Eckerd was the place for him. Contentment stole over him as he took in the campus. Bry was home.

Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4:11-13.

“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.”

This contentment sheds a different light than the one Bry experienced as he found his college. You see, Bryan found a good place that caused contentment – a state of happiness and satisfaction. Paul found that regardless of whether the place he was in was good or not, he could be content. When we learn this kind of contentment, we are satisfied or happy with where God has us, regardless of what is happening all around us.

One of the key words in those verses is “learned.” Being content is not automatic. Bryan learned what he enjoyed in life through his experiences growing up. He found what he wanted to do with his life and then discovered the college that would help enhance through study what he had learned about himself.

God uses different circumstances in our lives to cause us to change and grow. It is the difficult circumstances in life that most often steal our contentment. How do you rise above it? By keeping your focus on God. God’s power to sustain a believer is greater than any trial faced. True contentment comes when you depend on God’s strength to enable you to do anything and everything He calls you to do.

Have you found the secret?

Do you seek contentment in people or the things of this world?

What can you do to rise above each situation and find true contentment in God?

Learning contentment places every circumstance in God’s hands knowing His strength sees you through and leads to a peace that passes all understanding.

In His Love,

Susan