Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– John Piper
Contentment
The Apostle Paul had every reason to be discontent but he chose to be content but it doesn’t come naturally. It’s easy to be content in sinful pleasures. We don’t have to learn how to do that; it just happens since were sinful creatures, but Paul teaches us something that might help us. He wrote, “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” (Phil 4:11-12). It didn’t come easily or naturally to Paul so he had to learn how to be content. How do you learn anything but with practice, practice, and more practice, of which Paul had plenty?
Satisfaction
If we find our satisfaction in Jesus Christ then He is more than enough when things get difficult. One man said “When all you have is Christ then you have all you need” and that is so true. Think about all of the benefits that come as a result of our salvation. What joy to know that our life has just begun. We have a glorious future that can’t even be described (Rom 8:18; Rev 22). Isn’t that satisfying enough so that He’s most glorified in us?
Glorification
We cannot increase God’s glory by one atom but we can glorify Him in our life, in our word, in our deeds, and in corporate worship. We have to understand that even the creation declares the glory of God (Psalm 19:1-2) but we can glorify God in our bodies too, so remember “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1st Cor 6:19-20).
Conclusion
Aren’t you interested in glorifying God? There are many ways you can do that and since we know that’s God’s will, we ought to strive to live lives that are pleasing to Him in order to point others to the God of All Glory and to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, so that they might have eternal life.
