The idea of being content while living in plenty is quite foreign to our culture. When billionaire Howard Hughes was asked how much money it would take to make him happy, he responded, “Just a little more.” That seems to aptly describe our culture, doesn’t it? We have plenty yet want more.
Today’s verses in Philippians give encouragement to those of us struggling with limitations we never expected and with challenges we never imagined. What if when progress is painfully slow and losses are difficult to handle, they are actually opportunities to live counter-culturally? Might I be displaying Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation in Him as the source of my contentment (see Romans 4:23 and 10:9-10, Acts 4:11-12, Hebrews 9:28)? When things are tough, exhibiting contentment may help me share with others that Jesus Christ is all in all (see 1 Corinthians 8:6).
You can rest in knowing Jesus and the gift of salvation He has won for you. Life is not about anything you’ve accumulated or accomplished. It’s about knowing Jesus.