“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
The world values beauty and strength. Advertisers frequently appeal to our vanity by marketing their products as that which will restore our youth and vitality. So when we are weak (emotionally, physically, or spiritually), our natural inclination is to feel shame and to want to escape it.
Our culture also abhors insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. These are things to be avoided, not accepted. Our society encourages us to stand up for our rights! The world tells us that if we work together, we can overcome disease, hate, global terrorism, and even natural disasters.
And yet, history has proven that despite all man's efforts toward peace, equality, and prosperity, abuse remains. We are expressing the same complaints of our forefathers. We cannot escape our mortality, suffering, injustice, and pain through anything this world has to offer. This can leave us feeling discontent in many areas of our lives.
And yet, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, “...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.” Philippians 4:11-12
So, what is this secret? Where can we look to find contentment amid the clamoring and chaos of our world?
The secret of facing every situation in contentment is Jesus Christ. When we fully embrace the truth that we died with Christ on the cross and rose again to a new life in Him, we no longer desire to escape our weaknesses, difficulties, persecutions, and pain because we see things differently.
Hebrews 2:8-10 explains, “Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”
Jesus suffered and died on the cross to bring us to glory. “If we live, we live for the LORD; and if we die, we die for the LORD. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the LORD.” (Romans 14:8) Jesus is the object of our love and our life. When we look and see Him loving us unto death on the cross, we know that we are loved and forgiven and this fills us with a contentment that is constant regardless of our circumstances.
Friend, you died with Christ and rose in Him to a new life. A life where tragedy becomes a triumph, obstacles become opportunities, and trouble becomes a testimony to God’s mercy, love, grace, and faithfulness.