Contentment

Yesterday I went to Rock The Universe to hang out with Billy, Josh, and Sam and it was awesome. I love them, and hanging out with them is always a good time. But whenever they have to leave or I have to leave them it sucks. Today was pretty weird and lame pretty much all day a lot like last Monday when Sam and Perry left. When it came to my quiet time I was rushing through my prayer, because I couldn't stop thinking about home and all the people I miss. It was awful.

So immediately after that I started writing in my journal and I asked myself "Is it wrong that the absence of my friends grieves me?" I don't think that it's wrong to grieve Paul said in Romans that he wished he could be with them and was looking forward to being able to see them, but when this grieving gets in the way of God it is wrong. I know this may sound crazy, but I think that's Biblical. I was reminded of Matthew 10:37 "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." That isn't a popular section of verses in the American Church. I don't like it, but I know it's truth. It's not wrong for me to love my friends and family, but it's wrong for me to love them and focus on them more than God.

Since I was feeling kind of down and I really needed some perspective I decided to watch a video podcast of Francis Chan and I watched one titled "What do you need in order to be happy?" It was exactly what I needed to hear. Francis was preaching on Philippians which is probably my favorite book of the Bible and the topic was contentment. Contentment isn't about location or circumstance. In the beginning of the service they showed a video clip of these missionaries going to Indonesia and the father said "We need to live our lives in a way that demands an explanation." That challenged me. Then hearing about Paul writing this letter to the Philippians in jail that is consumed with joy I realized it was true. Paul's life and contentment deserved an explantion and it was Christ is enough.

One of the main verses of the sermon was Philippians 4:13 a verse we are all familiar with especially being a student at UF. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." And Francis Chan talked about how this verse has been so misread and misused. Just back up one verse and read it in context, and we all realize the truth of the statement. Philippians 4:12 "I know how to be bought 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 4:13 is the Paul's secret to life and it's not just for Paul. It's him stating his moment of clarity that Jesus is enough. I put plenty and abundance in bold, because so many times we think of this verse and Christ when we are in need or hunger, but what about when we have plenty and an abundance? When that happens do we still say above all Christ is enough, or do we hold on to our abundance and plenty above Christ?

I love the hymn Come Thou Fount because it speaks truth. "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love." Despite this God still loves us and wants us to realize he is enough. This is a hard message and something I have struggled with recently. I want to love my friends and family, and I'm supposed to. But I'm not supposed to love them more than God.

When I have an abundance many times I don't think of Christ above all, and that is crazy. Christ is enough. He is our source of contentment.