Learned to Be Content

In one paragraph

This was a Monday night study wrapping up the book of Philippians, with Carl reading through chapter four and Nick speaking on it. The group spent time in Paul's closing words about contentment, generosity, and where lasting peace actually comes from. Several people shared from their own lives during an open conversation after the message. Nick opened by naming the themes that run through all of...

Read together

1. Luke 12:7 opening reading about God numbering the hairs on your head and valuing us more than sparrows
2. Philippians 4:8 fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable
3. Philippians 4:9 keep putting into practice all you learned and received, then the God of peace will be with you
4. Philippians 4:10-11 Paul praises the Lord that the Philippians were concerned for him, and states he has learned to be content
5. Philippians 4:12 Paul says he has learned the secret of living in every situation, full or hungry, plenty or little
6. Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength, discussed in context of Paul being in prison
7. Philippians 4:14-16 the Philippians were the only church to give Paul financial help, sending aid more than once
8. Philippians 4:17 Paul says he does not seek a gift but wants the Philippians to receive a reward for their kindness
9. Philippians 4:18 Paul says he has all he needs, that their gifts are a sweet smelling sacrifice pleasing to God
10. Philippians 4:19 God will supply all your needs from his glorious riches in Christ Jesus
11. Philippians 4:20 all glory to God our father forever, amen
12. Philippians 4:21-22 final greetings including from those in Caesar's household
13. Philippians 4:23 may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
14. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 godliness with contentment is great gain, love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

Talk about it

1. Nick described lying in bed with his fists clenched and then deliberately turning his thoughts to what is true, honorable, and lovely, and feeling himself release. Has there been a time when you tried that kind of deliberate shift in your thinking? What happened?
2. Nick said that Paul's 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength' was written from house arrest, after shipwrecks and beatings, and is really about contentment in hard circumstances, not self-determination in good ones. How does that context change the way you hear that verse?
3. Nick shared that he was grumpy about receiving granola and toilet paper from his church while others received thousands of dollars, and that he missed the gift in what he actually had. Where in your own life have you found yourself focused on what others received rather than what you were given?
4. Carl closed by saying that Paul's contentment came from drawing on a very deep well, a relationship with Christ that does not run dry. What does that kind of deep, ongoing relationship look like practically for you right now?
5. Florian mentioned that he struggles to ask others to support his work in Romania, even though he gladly gives to others. Alan talked about the pull toward judgment when confronted with someone else's sin. Both point to places where grace is hard to receive or extend. Where do you find it hardest to let grace actually flow, either toward yourself or toward someone else?