10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:10-13
You will remember that in every chapter of Philippians Paul accentuates a potential joy stealer and something unique about the Lord Jesus that makes those joy stealers useful to us in our deepening relationship with Him. When we put together all of these uniquenesses about the Lord, we arrive upon the Lord's definition of joy.
In Philippians 1, the joy stealer is our prisons and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is His life. in Philippians 2, the joy stealer is people and the unique about the Lord Jesus is His way of thinking and living. In Philippians 3, the joy stealer is our pedigree and our possessions and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is that He is our pursuit. And here in Philippians 4, the joy stealer is our problems and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is He is our contentment or satisfaction.
Even though the Apostle Paul expresses gratitude for the gift sent from the Philippian Christians, he wants to make it clear that his contentment was in his personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. When he was hungry, he was content. When he had plenty, he was content. In whatever situation he found himself, he was content. The circumstances didn't define him, the Lord Jesus did because the circumstances drove Him deeper in the Lord.
The words “at last” in v.10 instruct us on how to receive a financial gift. When someone gives us a gift, we must not focus on the gift. It’s not about the stuff; it’s about the person who gave the gift. We rejoice in their partnership in the ministry. We must focus on the fact that the one who contributed did so out of obedience to God.
In v.11 Paul says he has “learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” He is not dependent on the circumstance nor the Philippians’ gift. Paul's partnership with the believers in Philippi is not based on their usefulness to him. Paul values the Philippians for who they are, not what they can do for him. The key to this whole arrangement is that Paul is content whether or not the Philippians support him financially.
In v.12, Paul explains the circumstances in which he has found himself. He has been “in any and every situation,” from having much to having little. He did not learn to be content in any and every situation apart from being in those situations. He has “learned the secret” of being "in Christ" in those situations.
In v.12, the word translated “learned the secret” is different from the word translated “learned” in v.11. Paul utilizes these concepts from the pagan world in which the Philippians lived and invests them with a different meaning. Biblical faith teaches reality is only found in a personal relationship with Christ.
Literally, Paul is able to be content “in” Christ. The word “in” was also used in v.11, where Paul said he had learned “in” his circumstances to be content. At the same time that he is “in” conditions that would seem unfavorable to contentment, he is also “in” Christ. Christ is with him in the situations. This makes all the difference.
In v.13 we are given one of the most often-quoted verses in the Bible. We don’t train for contentment. The secret of contentment is discovered in the pronoun “him” which is a reference to the Lord Jesus. The only way to be truly content is to develop Christ-sufficiency. Giving up our hope of self-sufficiency, we must develop Christ-sufficiency. We have to learn to rely on His strength and involvement in our lives.
When Paul says he can “all things,” he doesn’t mean that he can literally do everything. To do everything has to do with being content in all circumstances. The word translated “all things” was also used twice in v.12 in the phrase translated “whatever the circumstances.” Paul is saying that he is able to be content in all situations. And remember where he is writing this letter from: prison.
Our ability to be content in any and every situation is connected with our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Whatever circumstances we are “in,” Christ is with us in it. When we walk with Christ in any and every situation, an intimacy with Him develops that touches the deepest longings of our hearts.
When Christ's life and His way of thinking and living, and He becomes our pursuit, and our contentment or satisfaction, we will be defined by His Joy.
