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. (II Corinthians 12:10 ESV)
Contentment
Aristocracy has a bad reputation. The aristocracy of a civilization is seen as lazy, parasitic, arrogant, and old-fashioned. But aristocracy done right is none of those things. Aristocracy done right is active, contributive, humble, and useful.
Contentment is similarly misrepresented.
Contentment has the reputation of being passive, unambitious, unattractive, and unAmerican.
But Paul demonstrated a better, perhaps even a necessary, contentment.
Paul’s satisfaction with the difficult situations he experienced did not come from an Eeyore-like whining about how bad his life was. Eeyore’s problem is like ours, actually. Our troubles ARE hard, rough, painful, dark, and cloudy. But Paul saw that Paul’s life was actually Christ Jesus’ life.
Paul was content because he understood that every situation, good or bad, led him more and more to Jesus. Paul was content because he trusted that God, moving the precious pieces of Paul’s life, was doing amazing things for Jesus’ glory. Even when Paul couldn’t grasp how. Paul was content because he loved Jesus enough to put up with things on Jesus’ behalf.
Contentment is not weakness, it is strength of faith. Contentment is not passive, it is actively living for Jesus. Contentment is not being a doormat, it is standing for Jesus.
We are peculiar, Christians can be excitedly content.