Biblical Contentment

It was not too long ago that I was having a counseling session with a gentleman who was going through some hard times and as result was struggling with contentment. He commented to me that part of his problem was that he “did not have the gift of contentment.”
Initially I was taken back by the statement because I was unaware of any Biblical text that taught there was such a thing as a “gift” of contentment. After I quickly regathered my thoughts, I kindly took this gentleman to the book of Philippians. Specifically I drew his attention to the 11th verse of chapter 4.
In this chapter, the Apostle makes an amazing statement to the church at Philippi. Paul wrote, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am.”
I explained to the man that the Apostle Paul wrote this verse while he was in prison. Paul’s entire life was characterized by continuous trials and difficulties (12 Cor. 11:23-28) yet he was still able to write that he had “learned to be content.” How was Paul able to come to this point in his own Christian life? How did he learn the art of contentment?
One of the major problems with this specific man (that I counseled) was that he did not have a correct understanding of biblical contentment. Biblical contentment is not something that is given by God as a spiritual gift or inherited through physical birth. Rather contentment is something that is, as Paul put it, “learned.”
God often allows trials into our lives to teach us the value of the “Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.”
Contentment is only gained through a proper biblical understanding of trials coupled with a experiential knowledge of them. You see in God’s masterful and sovereign plan He orchestrates our lives to teach us many fundamental spiritual lessons. One of those lessons is the Christian virtue of contentment.
I know of no better example of this in the Old Testament then the narrative record in Genesis that details the history of Joseph. Joseph’s life story is given to us in Genesis 37-50. I want us to briefly look at the life of Joseph and observe how he (like the apostle Paul) “learned” contentment in the midst of his own personal suffering.
Hopefully his life example will inspire you to embrace your own personal life struggles and thus teach you how to be content “in whatever circumstance” God places you in.
The story of Joseph is one of the most familiar in all of the Old Testament. The life of Joseph illustrates how God’s providential hand orchestrated Joseph’s life circumstances to preserve the nation of Israel. One of the foundational elements to contentment is learning to embrace God’s providence even during life’s lowly valleys.
Joseph’s life is really broken up into three stages: Joseph goes from a favored Son, to a lowly Slave, and is finally exalted to a blessed Sultan. I want you to take note of God’s providence during all three stages of his life.