Philippians 4:10–13 (ESV)
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 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. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Today, I simply want to make clear the biblical meaning of contentment.

The word itself is a combination of two Greek words. One means “himself” and the other means “to suffice.” So, the words together mean, “one is sufficient within himself,” or, “one is self-sufficient in a good sense.” It indicates independence from any need for help. It is sometimes translated as satisfied. To be content, then, is to feel satisfaction within a situation. So, Paul says, “I have learned in whatever situation to be content.” That is, to be satisfied or at ease with himself.

But, there is more to this word. To the Greek stoic philosophers, the idea meant a state of mind in which a man was absolutely independent of all things and of all people. The very definition of Stoicism is “an indifference to pleasure of pain.”

Barclay says, “They proposed to eliminate all desire. The Stoic rightly believed that contentment did not consist in possessing much but in wanting little, ‘If you want to make a man happy,’ they said, ‘add not to his possessions, but take away from his desires.’ Socrates was once asked who was the wealthiest man. He answered: ‘He who is content with least, for autarkeia (contentment) is nature’s wealth.’ The Stoics believed that the only way to contentment was to abolish all desire until a man had come to a stage when nothing and no one were essential to him. They proposed to eliminate all emotion until a man had come to a stage when he did not care what happened either to himself or to anyone else”.

This is the exact opposite of what Paul meant. While the Stoics believed that the way to contentment was by the power of self-sufficient control of one’s thoughts, Paul believed that contentment came by Christ’s power working in him. He had learned that the secret to contentment was the power of Christ, who gave him strength to endure any and every situation.

The Stoics used this word to mean human self-reliance and fortitude, a calm acceptance of life’s pressures. But, Paul used it to refer to a divinely bestowed sufficiency, whatever the circumstances.

An anonymous quote goes like this: “It is a blessed secret when the believer learns how to carry a high head with an empty stomach, an upright look with an empty pocket, a happy heart with an unpaid salary, joy in God when men are faithless.”

Are you content with the situation you are now in?