In His Name Devotionals
LOSING JOY
In His Name Devotionals
LOSING JOY
“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” (Philippians 4:11)
True joy is God’s gift to every Christian, and yet some believers seem to lack it. How can that be? Did God fail them? No. As with peace, assurance, and other benefits of salvation, joy can be forfeited for many reasons. Willful sin, prayerlessness, fear, self-centeredness, focusing on circumstances, and lack of forgiveness are the main culprits.
Two of the most common joy-thieves are dissatisfaction and ingratitude. Both are by-products of the health, wealth, and prosperity mentality of this age. That teaching has produced a generation of Christians who are more dissatisfied than ever, because their demands and expectations are higher than ever. They have lost their perspective on God’s sovereignty and have therefore lost the ability to give thanks in all things.
In marked contrast, when Jesus taught about contentment and anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34), He spoke of food and clothing—the basic necessities of life. But preferences, not necessities, seem to be the issue with many today. Too many are into style, personal appearance, job satisfaction, earning power, bigger homes, and newer cars. In the name of greater faith, many even demand that God supply more wealth, and more power.
Amid all that, Paul’s words sound a refreshing note of assurance and rebuke, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Philippians 4:11). He made no demands on God, but simply trusted in His gracious provision. Whether he received little or much made no difference to him. In either case he was satisfied and thankful.
Do not be victimized by the spirit of this age. See God’s blessings for what they are, and continually praise Him for His goodness. In doing so, you will guard your heart from dissatisfaction and ingratitude. More important, you will bring joy to the One Who is worthy of all praise.
