Enough

Cultivating Contentment

Philippians 4:10-13

 

Opening Words: Today, I conclude my sermon series simply called Enough. In this series we are looking at one of the influential things in our lives, money! Let me be completely honest. Money has great power in our lives and, when used wisely, helps us meet our goals, provide our needs, and fulfill our life purpose. But in recent years, many have managed their money very poorly. How many people do you know are spending tomorrow’s money today? The result end result is not greater happiness and satisfaction, but greater stress and anxiety. Today, I want to talk about living a content life.

 

The great Scottish philosopher and Politian of the late eighteenth century James Mackintosh once said, “Be content with what you have, never with what you are.” What is he saying? We should never be content with who we are. We can always be more loving! You can always be more compassionate! You care always be more patient! You should never be content with your relationship with God. You can always be a little more like Jesus. You should never be content with who you are but you can learn to be content with what you have! That is what the scripture lesson teaches us today. May God give you ears to hear this morning scripture lesson, Philippians 4:10-13. Let me call this message Cultivating Contentment.

 

Philippians 4:10-13 10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I 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. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

 

I love the story of the rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked. "Because I've caught enough fish for today," said the fisherman. "Why don't you catch more fish than you need?' the rich man asked. "What would I do with them?" "You could earn more money," came the impatient reply, "and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you'd have a fleet of boats and be rich like me." The fisherman asked, "Then what would I do?" "You could sit down and enjoy life," said the industrialist. "What do you think I'm doing now?" the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."

 

Today, I want to talk about living a content life. Recently, America has been introduced to a new disease, RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome. It is a condition where one’s legs twitches or contracts. Countless others have been inflicted with another disease, RHS or Restless Heart Syndrome. It is a condition where one’s heart is constantly restless. You see victims of RHS all the time. In the name of progress, they constantly want more because they are not content with the things or people in their lives. Do you know anyone with RHS? They own a perfectly fine cell phone. It meets their needs but they trade up because they want the newest technology. They buy the home of their dreams but in a few weeks they convince themselves the appliances aren’t quite right. They go out and buy new washer and dryer because they hunger for something new. They rationalize they need a new car because the old one may break down. How many women have sat in my office through the years? Their ex-husbands contracted RHS. One day out of the blue they announced to her that they have been unhappy for years. He walks out leaving her and their happy home. A few months later he introduces their children to his new significant other, a younger woman. She is old enough to be the baby sitter! How many people do you know are suffering from RHS, Restless Heart Syndrome? It is a pandemic in our society. Could it be that maybe there is someone here today who suffers from RHS. Maybe that person is you?

 

According to the text for this morning, there is hope for anyone who is suffering from RHS. The cure to this disease will not come from the medical world. Don’t look for any vaccinations or pills to hit the market soon. The cure to this disease can be learned. You can learn to live a contented life. That is what happened to the author of this morning’s text, the apostle Paul. He learned to be content. Did you hear verse 11 of this morning’s scripture reading. It said. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Do you know where he wrote those words from? He wrote those words from a Roman prison cell. Many Biblical scholars believe he was waiting to be executed. If he can learn to be content from a Roman prison cell then you can learn to be content in the prison of your life.

 

So today I want to help you live a more contented life. I am going to ask you four questions. I hope these four questions will help you the next time you dealing with RHS. If Paul can learn to be content in his life then I believe we can learn to be content. So if you are ready to begin say, “Amen!” This is question number one.

 

How could it be worse?

This is question number one: how could it be worse? Someone once said, “I complained about my old shoes until I met a man that had no feet.“ The person who first said that knew the power of our first question, how could it be worse? I began working on this sermon on Tuesday afternoon. I developed this point first and I have to admit this questioned changed my entire week. No matter what negative thing happened the rest of the week, I really didn’t care. Because I nullified the negativity with the question, how could it be worse? It worked for me and it will work for you. I really encourage you to remember this question, how could it be worse?, and apply it to your life. It really does change your attitude! Let me give you a few examples.

 

I don’t know if you have noticed this but I am growing grey. It bothered me for a while but then I asked our question how could it be worse? Well, I could be growing bold! And suddenly I felt better.

 

I ran out of tooth paste the other day and I didn’t want to go to the store. I got upset so I asked myself the question, how

could it be worse? I could have no teeth!

 

I went to the Administrative Board meeting the other night and was told we have only paid 11% of our apportionments with six weeks to go in the year. It is upsetting. It makes me feel like a failure. So I asked myself the question, how could it be worse? Well, we could have only paid 10% with five weeks to go.

 

My sister-in-law Sue and her significant other, Dan Tucker, are coming up from Florida and eat Thanksgiving dinner at my house. It is going to be a long day. So I asked myself the question, how could it be worse? Well, they could be staying with me the whole weekend.

 

It is truly amazing how one single question, how could it be worse?, has the ability to disarm any situation. No matter the situation, it could be worse. What is the worst thing that can happen? But even when you die you get to go to heaven. If you think you could use the question, how could it be worse?, in your life say, “Amen!”

 

How long will your purchase make you happy?

This is question number two: how long will your purchase make you happy? In the fifth century, a man named Arenius determined to live a holy life. So he abandoned the comforts of Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert. Yet, whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he spent time wandering through its bazaars. Asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn't need.

 

There are many in our society who need to ponder those words from that ancient monk. We live in a society flooded with goods and gadgets. Consider this fact with me. A typical supermarket in the United States in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; today it carries 30,000. How many of them are absolutely essential? Our televisions, radios, mailboxes and newspapers are filled with advertisements on suggestions on what to buy your loved ones this year for Christmas. Each one promises to make your loved ones happy. How long will your purchase make you happy? There is nothing wrong with Christmas presents. I hope to get one. But the thrill of opening that give will not lost forever. The greatest gift you can give someone is yourself. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

Do you have a grateful heart?

This is question number three: Do you have a grateful heart? This evening I have the opportunity of preaching at the Canfield Community Thanksgiving service. I hope you will come. We begin at 7:00 at the Canfield Presbyterian Church on West Main. I will talk about it more this evening but I will tell you now. Thanksgiving is not a holiday, it is an attitude. It is not just about eating turkey, it is about living a life that is filled with gratitude.

 

Several years ago Erma Bombeck told the story of an eight year old girl by the name of Christina. She had cancer of the nervous system. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, Christina thought long and hard and finally said, "I don't know. I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll. I have everything!" In life we have a choice. We can see what we have or we can see what we want. A grateful heart sees what it has. Do you have a grateful heart? If an eight year old girl with cancer of the nervous system can be content with two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll, then you should be content with your life. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

Where does your soul find true contentment?

This is question number four: where does your soul find contentment? In 2007 at large section of Southern California was ravaged by forest fires. Millions of people had to be evacuated. Many of those individuals only had a few minutes to leave their homes. Just think about that for moments. They only had minutes to evacuate their homes. They could only take the most valuable things in their lives. Time magazine reported on the story and asked this question on line. What would you save? Imagine a fire is headed toward your house and you only had ten minutes to leave. What would you save?

 

I small boy named Andrew said he would save his puppy, Hathaway.

 

Sherri said she would save family pictures.

 

Karen said she would save her cat and important documents.

 

Tom said he wouldn’t take anything as long as his family was safe.

 

Natural disasters remind us that everything thing in this world is temporary. The most valuable things we have in our lives, the things that can not be replaced, are the relationships we hold in our lives. The most challenging relationship in your life is your relationship with God. It is in your relationships that you find true contentment in your soul. If you find that to be true say, “Amen!”

 

This morning we learned that the next time you feel a bout of RHS you need to ask yourself four questions. The first question is how could it be worse? It can always be worse. The second question is how long will your purchase make you happy? The answer is not long. The third question is do you have a grateful heart? Are you looking at what you want or are you looking at what you have? The forth and final question is where does your soul find true contentment? You find your greatest contentment in the relationships in your life. Old Ben Franklin was right! “Contentment makes poor men rich but discontent makes rich men poor." And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”