Philippians 4:10-13
10I 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. 11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12I 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. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Matthew 6:25-33
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?g 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
TEN POINTS TO PONDER
If Paul had to learn contentment, I should not be surprised when it doesn’t come naturally to me. Conversion makes me new immediately; learning to live like the new person Christ has made me takes time.
I can be content even when I don’t get what I want. Paul didn’t learn to change his circumstances, he learned to be content in every circumstance.
We don’t only struggle with contentment when we are in need. Paul said he had to learn to be content even when he had an abundance. Sometimes, the more we have the more we want.
Philippians 4:13 is not a promise that we will always succeed or always get what we want. It is a promise that no matter what we get, we will get through.
Sometimes God takes me through a tough situation and sometimes God takes me out of a tough situation (sometimes He takes His children home!).
The Bible never teaches that we won’t sometimes find ourselves in need. It always teaches that our needs will be met.
Worry is the killer of contentment. It is rooted in what might happen whereas contentment is rooted in what has happened. Worry feeds on fear, contentment grows from trust.
Contentment is choosing to focus on what God has already done and has already given rather than looking at what I don’t have and what hasn’t happened.
It’s hard to be content when my expectations run ahead of God’s promises.
It’s okay to pray, “God change this.” It’s even better to pray, “God change me through this.”
Contentment from the Commandments
Contentment and gratitude go hand in hand. The more I practice gratitude, the more I’ll experience contentment. Consider how the 10 commandments can help you express more gratitude.
Gratitude is a powerful tool for fighting anxiety, fear, and selfishness. It also promotes contentment, generosity, peace, and trust. I am always looking for new methods to develop more gratitude in my life. Here is an idea I have to use the 10 commandments as a jumping-off point for gratitude. Consider praying through these commands and using each one to express thanksgiving to God.
1. Have no other gods before Me.
Thank you for being all-powerful, all-present, always in control, and still caring about me.
2. Make no false idols.
Thank you for being everything I need so that I never need to look elsewhere for provision.
3. Do not take the name of the LORD in vain.
Thank you for the privilege of calling on your name through prayer. Thank you for hearing my prayers.
4. Remember the Sabbath.
Thank you for all of creation and for building healthy rhythms into creation as an example for how to live my life.
5. Honor your father and mother.
Thank you for my family and for the people in my life who are like family to me.
6. You shall not kill.
Thank you for life and all you do to sustain me.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
Thank you for relationships and for love and for the gift of marriage. Thank you for your faithfulness to me.
8. You shall not steal.
Thank you for entrusting me with so many gifts. Thank you for giving me far more than I ever needed.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Thank you for truth. Thank you that Jesus is the truth and the life. Thank you for you Word which is truth for life.
10. You shall not covet.
Thank you for providing all my needs. Thank you for your promise to always give me everything I need.
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into what the Bible teaches about contentment:
- 1 Timothy 6:6-8
- Hebrews 13:5-6
- Proverbs 15:16
- Matthew 6:31-33
- Psalm 23:1
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
- Proverbs 30:8-9
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
Read Philippians 4:10-13. Have a few people summarize the passage in one sentence.
Discuss what the 4-5 most important words are in this passage.
Paul says he had “learned” to be content. What does that word tell us about contentment? Why might contentment need to be learned rather than simply chosen?
Compare Philippians 4:11–13 with Matthew 6:25–33. What similarities do you see between Paul’s contentment and Jesus’ teaching about worry?
Jesus says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” How does knowing that God knows our needs help us understand Paul’s contentment?
Why do you think comparison is such a powerful enemy of contentment? Where are we most tempted to compare ourselves with others?
How do our expectations contribute to discontentment? What’s the difference between something God has promised us and something we simply expected him to give us?
Paul learned contentment through experience. What difficult circumstance has God used in your past to teach you something about his faithfulness?
Finish this sentence: “I would be more content if only __________.” What does your answer reveal about where you’re looking for satisfaction?
What is one specific practice you could begin this week that would help you learn contentment rather than simply wishing you were more content?
PHILIPPIANS: Line by line
Philippians 4:10-13: The Secret of contentment
10. 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.
Paul and the Philippians had a long-standing relationship in which the Philippian Church had supported him in his ministry. Due to circumstances, they had been unable to send support to him for a period of time, but now, their most recent gift was delivered to Paul by Epaphroditus. Paul expressed to them how grateful he was. And then used their gift as an opportunity to remind them of the importance of contentment.
11a. Not that I am speaking of being in need,
The Philippians gift was generous and needed, but Paul also knew that if it hadn’t arrived, God would have provided another way. Even though he had needs, Paul never considered himself “in need”, because he knew God would provide.
11b. for I have learned…
Contentment didn’t come naturally for Paul. He had to learn it. It doesn’t come naturally to any of us. If we are not intentional about developing contentment, we will not be content.
11c. in whatever situation I am to be content.
The nature of contentment is that it is not dependent on circumstances. Contentment flows from something greater than our current situation. Therefore, true contentment can exist anywhere at any time.
12. 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.
Paul was content whether things were good or bad, whether he had everything he wanted or nothing he desired. He had experienced all of life and had learned that nothing in life can bring contentment. Something beyond what life offers is needed.
13a. I can do all things…
This is not a promise that we can have success or victory in every situation and it is not a promise that we can attain or achieve everything we hope for. All things is a reference to verse 12, the highs and lows of life and the much and the little of life.
13b. through him who strengthens me.
God’s strength is the secret of contentment. Because He can do anything, and because He’ll always do what is best for me, I can be content no matter what I have and no matter what is happening. In every situation of life, I know that I’ll get through because God is with me.
Lake Bible Notes 
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