Contentment in the Ocean

Where does true contentment lie? Is it found in an event or a possession? Is it in the fulfillment of a desire or the satisfaction of a need? Or is it a reality that is even attainable? No, in and of ourselves or outside of Christ it is not. And it is a cruel deception of the enemy in making people think all is well, when judgment and eternity soon approach. Yet yes, in the event of eternally knowing Christ and possessing a relationship with Him, all desires and needs are as good as met for to know Christ is eternal (John 17:17) and abundant (John 10:10) life! Paul's education into this secret enabled him to be content "in whatever situation"(Phil.4:11) and "in any and every circumstance" (Phil.4:12), whether "brought low....in hunger....and need" (Phil.4:12), or "abounding....in plenty.....and abundance" (Phil.4:12). Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, whereby one is brought into the presence of God, after having their sins forgiven (Eph.1:7, Col.1:14), being justified by faith, put in peace with God (Rom.5:1), and given an alien pefect righteousness (2 Cor.5:21, Rom.3:21-26), one has everything they will ever need! This then leads them to actively delight in (Phil.3:1,4:4) and depend on (John 15:4-5) the One who is empowering them (Heb.13:20-21, Phil.2:12, Ps.68:35, Isa.40:29) and forever working to make them happier as He transforms them (2 Cor.3:18) to be like the object of their affections: Him!

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil.4:13) because He has given me the desire "to count the loss of all things as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" and "because of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord", depending not on "a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that [righteousness of God] which comes through faith in Christ" (Phil.3:9). In fact, the reason I was given this right relationship with God was "so that I may know Him" (Phil.3:10) and His "resurrection power" (Phil.3:10) by sharing in His suffering and reflecting His death in my own, and soon be resurrected from the dead (Phil.3:11) to see Him face to face (1 Cor.13:12) and spend forever with Him (1 Thes.4:17).

Since all needs and desires are found and met in the gospel of knowing Jesus, contentment is not obtaining something that you lack, but discovering with each new day "the riches of the glory in Christ Jesus" from which God "supplies all of your needs" (Phil.4:19). Let us labor to learn what we already possess in Him. Jesus is the Ocean from which the thirsts of life are continually quenched. No one will be truly satisfied or contented elsewhere. Let us rejoice always that as Christians we live in this Ocean!