“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11–13).
The apostle Paul was very familiar with “living on the edge.” Paul’s world was rife with dramatically changing politics, economic instability, and numerous physical discomforts and inconveniences. He went from a stable life as a Pharisee to an unpredictable, day-by-day adventure as a disciple of Jesus.
I’m not great at dealing with uncertainty. I like things to be stable and predictable. I like safe. When things are easy, I often find myself worrying, wondering when the next difficult thing will happen; and when things are hard, I worry about how long we can deal with things being hard. I’m often not content.
But Paul was different. He said that regardless of how things went, he would be okay. He had learned that God will give us strength for all circumstances. It’s interesting that both abounding and abasing require strength. It’s easy to think that you only need strength when things are hard, but that’s not true. While in hard times my need for God is more obvious, in easier times I need God’s strength to help me to not get distracted, to remind me that my contentment is not based on my circumstances, and that I don’t need to worry about what will come next.
We all can recognize that the world is moving very fast politically, economically, and culturally. It’s a little destabilizing. It’s easy to focus on circumstances and to let that determine our contentment and peace of mind, but Paul also said:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
I know that this is not a detailed roadmap for navigating the world we live in, but it is a way to position our hearts in alignment with God’s truth. He promises to keep our hearts and minds through Jesus, and when our hearts are right, the next practical steps become clearer.