"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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Phil 4:12-13)

Some people would say the Apostle Paul was arrogant, a chauvinist maybe. Others believe he was a great church planter, speaker, Evangelist. Whatever our opinion of him, we know from his writings that his confidence was born out of his relationship with God.

Our text today is one we all aspire to as Christians yet few of us attain it.

Why? With our present global economic climate, learning to be content is something most of us will have an opportunity to discover for ourselves. Every year we live and work in places of abject poverty. Poverty beyond anything we experience in the West. Yet the Christians in countries like Brasil and Uganda understand and live out Paul’s words in joy and contentment. We have seen it first hand and it should give all of us hope and confidence that being content whatever befalls us in life is genuine, possible for all who believe and put their trust in Jesus Christ. If we say we believe in miracles then let us begin our journey on the road to contentment today. Paul learnt how almost 2,000 years ago and many believers throughout history have faced life’s difficulties and have followed his path and discovered the way of contentment too.

Christians are not super humans living in some unreal world where there are no problems, at least we shouldn’t be. What we have is a relationship with a supernatural God. The One who made the universe, flung the stars into space and knows every one of them by name. He clothes the flowers in the fields, how much more will He take care of us?

^27-29"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

^30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

 ³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.  - Matthew 6:28-34 (The Message)

If these words of scripture are true and we believe that God supplies all our needs, maybe now is the time to prove it to ourselves and to a watching world?