Hope in Christ

Even in times spiritual warfare and severe suffering, Paul found the secret of contentment. Look what he says in verse 10 “For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak then I am strong.” He was not content with his own power, but by means of the grace and power of Jesus.

When we go through spiritual warfare or suffering, contentment can easily go out the window. It can be so easy to look at our circumstance and our suffering that we take our eyes off Jesus. Satan wants our eyes off Jesus in the midst of our suffering, and when we succumb to his deceptive schemes, we lose any semblance of godly contentment. We must remember that the one who gives us the grace that is truly sufficient, and who’s power is made strong in our weakness, is Jesus.

Paul says in Philippians 4:11-14 that he found ultimate contentment in that he can do all things through Christ. And through Christ and looking to Him, we too can be content, even in our suffering. We can be content in Jesus because he has given us all that we need (See Ephesians 1:3-14).

Saints, let’s look to Jesus and his power to be content in a time of suffering and hardship. Let’s stop looking to the things of this world (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life), and rely on His power and grace alone for our ultimate contentment.