Being Content

     Paul, a follower of Christ, wrote that he had learned  in whatsoever state he was in to be content.  This statement by Paul has continued to be a source of inspiration, because of the verb "learned". 
Some readers of this blog will wonder who Paul was and where am I coming from. I encourage you to read the book of Phillippians in the bible to learn more about what Paul wrote concerning contentment in chapter 4.

     For those who know who Paul is I share this personal thought with you.
 Paul's use of the verb "learned" lets me know that getting to a place in my life where I am content is really a process of my growth as a person and my gaining a greater understanding of God through Christ in my life. This process is not an overnight or one day thing. It is a life long process.
I am striving learn to be as Paul for he says:
 he knew how to be hungry, he knew how to be full,
 he knew how to be joyful, he knew how to be sad,
 he knew how to be  praised and he knew how to be ridiculed

He was content or at peace no matter what state he was in.

 Much of my struggle has been that I have failed to recognize my limitations and accept my weakness. Most of us do not willing acknowledge that we are weak nor do we chose to humble ourselves, so we go through life leaning on our own power to make it and in the end we come up short every time. We will not seek help from others nor accept God's intervention until we have hit rock bottom.  I truly believe after Paul had come to a point in his life where he knew that he had no other help, no other source of strength, no other abiding hope - other than setting his face toward God and giving God everything he came to the realization that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him. He was content when he was hungry, he was content when he was full.  He was content when people said great things about him, he was content when people abused him.  He had faith not in his own power but of God's power to sustain and keep him.

I pray to move from learning to learned.