I CAN DO ALL THINGS (PART X)

“Paul Was Read Into the Secret of Contentment”

By Akin Ojumu

Even as he was concluding his thank you letter to the Philippians, Paul revealed a deep pain of being separated from these believers who were near and dear to his heart. To convey his deep affection, he used the expression, “my love and my crown.”

Philippians 4:1

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

The word translated crown is a Greek term referring to the laurel wreath received by an athlete for winning a contest. It’s the same word used by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians when he talked about the prize the winning athlete received in the Olympic games. Another use of the word crown is the description of a person who is honored by his peers at a banquet as a symbol of a successful and fruitful life.

1 Corinthians. 9:24-25

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

So, in Philippians 4:1, Paul was telling this assembly of believers that he considered them his crowning achievement, the living proof of his successful ministry. That was the depth of the love and value Paul had for the Philippians believers.

As we stated in the last iteration of this commentary series, the epistle to the Philippians was a letter of appreciation to a congregation which stood and partnered with him from the first day the Church was established up until the very end. Out of severe poverty and extreme hardship, the Philippians lavished gifts on Paul in support of his ministry.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

“Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, through the will of God.”

Even when Paul was busy ministering in other cities, the Philippians still reached out to him with gifts of love.

Philippians 4:15-17

“And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.”

Unlike the Gospel hucksters of his day who peddled the Word of God for gain, Paul’s interest in ministry was for the sole purpose of soul winning. From the moment he met Christ on the road to Damascus till his beheading in Rome by Nero, Paul subsumed himself in the work of plundering the kingdom of darkness and setting the captives free.

In furtherance of that all-consuming goal, Paul’s life became defined by unimaginable ordeal. He endured unbearable hardship and experienced intolerable suffering. Great misery and misfortune dogged him every step of the way. In the city, dangers waited for him. On the road, perils laid ambush. Trials and tribulations became his middle name.

Just as Paul encountered great despair and torment for the cause of Christ, the man would not tolerate anything that would hinder the Gospel. Whatever it was that could potentially bring reproach, constitute an obstacle, or make people not want to hear or accept the Gospel, Paul avoided. 

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

“Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.”

Not only that. Paul gave up his personal rights, sacrificed pleasure and comforts, and even rejected financial support all for the sake of preaching the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:11-12

“If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.”

Acts 20:33-35

“I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

“We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.”

The Bible admonishes that those who cling to your life, will lose it and those who give up their life for God, will find it. Paul exemplified a man who lost his life in order to find it. Fame and fortune meant nothing to the man. He did not pursue privilege or prestige. Paul was fully satisfied with whatever challenge life brought.

With his life defined and personified with contentment, Paul was not razzled by poverty or dazzled by plenty. He didn’t break a sweat when he had nothing to eat, and he wasn’t over the moon when there was plenty on the table. In whatever circumstance Paul found himself, he was quite willing to accept it knowing that God was always in control.

So, when Epaphroditus showed up with a bag full of silver in his rented apartment in Rome where he was being confined under arrest, Paul was full of gratitude by the thoughtful gesture of his Philippians friends, but he let it be known in his thank you letter to the Philippians that he was quite content with whatever he had.

Philippians 4:10-12

“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 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.”

It was this attitude of contentment that prompted Paul to write what has now become one of the best-known verses in the Bible. As ubiquitous as the air we breathe, this verse appears on jerseys, wall arts, bumper stickers, social media profiles, and even tattoos.

Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13 is not about personal empowerment. It is not a promise that you can become anything you want when you grow up if you want it badly enough. It certainly isn't an assurance that you’ll win an athletic contest or find success in your job. Quite the opposite is the case. In Philippians 4:13, the Apostle Paul models contentment in whatever circumstances he finds himself, whether things are going well or poorly. Moreover, the focus of this verse isn’t on you or me…or Paul for that matter. The focus is on Christ who strengthens for contentment. (Source: Kindle Afresh).

What Paul is saying in Philippians 4:13 is that when he has exhausted his own resources, then he experiences the power of Christ sustaining him until a provision becomes available. The Apostle is simply acknowledging the fact that he is strong enough to endure hunger, poverty, or any other hardship because the strength of Christ infused into him. It’s not that he could live in perpetual deprivation, but that he was confident that just at the right time God would meet any of his needs.

Paul found his contentment in the manifest strength of Christ that comes to the believer when he has exhausted his human resources. Contentment is a byproduct of distress. It comes when you experience the sustaining power of Christ in those times when you have no human strength (Source: John MacArthur).  

In whatever situation he found himself, Paul had learned what it meant to be content. He knew what it was to have nothing, and he knew what it was to have plenty. Paul said that he had acquainted himself with the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

Philippians 4:12

“…I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

When Paul wrote, in Philippians 4:12, that “I have learned the secret…,” he used the Greek term MUEO. This is a word Paul borrowed from the mystery religions where it was used to describe initiation into the secrets of a pagan cults which only the initiated. Following the initiation, the initiates were then privy to certain secrets held by the cults.

By saying he had learned the secret, Paul was telling the Philippians, and by extension us as well, that contentment is a secret that must be discovered and not something that comes to us naturally. In effect, Paul was saying he had learned the secret of living a contented life, which to him meant total reliance on God’s providence.

After writing that he was able to endure any adversity and take any punch that life may throw at him, Paul quickly clarified that he was not in any way devaluing the generous gift the Philippians had sent to him through Epaphroditus. He reiterated how appreciative he was of their willingness to impoverish themselves just so he could have enough to eat. He thanked them profusely for sharing in his troubles through their financial support. For all that he was very grateful.

Philippians 4:14

“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.”

Nevertheless, Paul wanted us to understand that our situations may change, but God’s enabling power to endure the changing situation remains. In every situation, he was quite content because he is always in control.

1 Timothy 6:6

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Philippians 4:13 is about contentment and nothing else. Failure to read, interpret, and understand the verse in the context of contentment is a silly pretext at proof texting the text. We do violence to this verse whenever we misappropriate it and use it as a motivational spiel or some kind of inspirational mantra to propel us towards achieving our personal goal or desire whether it be financial success, academic achievement, or sporting performance.

Like Paul, our contentment should not be self-content but Christ-content. Our confidence is not self-confidence but God’s providence. It is when we gladly accept the fact God is providentially in control of all the circumstances in our lives over which we have no control. It is to know that our ability to cope or endure the situations that come our way does not come from us but from Christ who empowers us with His strength.

My prayer is that in every situation that comes your way, you will find confidence in God’s providence.