Wednesday 24 June 2009

The Worst Kept Secret to Contentment


“I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

Go into any faith mission book shop and you’re guaranteed to find this verse emblazoned upon pencils, notepads and (strangely enough) stress balls. If you’ve been having a tough time recently, it may be one of those key verses that friends fire around via a text with promises to pray for your circumstances. There’s even a good chance that this verse may be highlighted in your Bible.

Recently I’ve been trying to work out what the heck it actually means!?!? It appears towards the end of Paul’s letter to the Philippians…

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

For too long I have surgically detached this verse from its context. For ages I thought it implied that God would grant me some superhuman abilities to accomplish anything I could imagine or want to make me happy & life easy (regardless of whether these plans were in line with His interests).

Now I see it more as Paul’s (badly kept) secret to contentment. That whether we find ourselves with a bulging wallet or struggling to pay our mortgages, contentment can be found in depending on Christ. It’s probably harder to rely on Christ when life is going well, when we’ve become seduced by the illusion of the self-earned success & security, and perhaps the last year has made us more aware of how fragile our life & resources can be.

And let’s be in no doubt about it. Theoretical Christianity is always much easier than living out the reality. In Northern Ireland we specialize in scrutinizing other people’s life circumstances, sorting their problems without removing planks from our own eyes and “putting the world to rights.”

But when life crumbles around us – when we fail the exam, lose the job, experience a broken relationship, develop a debilitating illness – may we all learn the secret to contentment. That whilst we may not be able to change the circumstances we are in, we can look to Jesus – our beacon of hope – and rest safely in the knowledge that, whatever we have & wherever we are, we can make it through anything as we trust in the One who makes us who we are.

May God give you contentment today.

Tuesday 16 June 2009

The Dirt on Dinger’s Bible Reading

I didn’t read my Bible all of last week.

I was on holiday, had all the time in the world, but was lazy & reading God’s Word felt like too much hard work; so I just read novels & ate ice-cream instead.

I totally believe that “everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching & helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. {And that} the Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But the truth is that in the 12 years in which I’ve been a Christian I’ve found the Bible enthralling, boring, puzzling, annoying, relevant, irrelevant, depressing and invaluable.

I missed reading it. I missed engaging with Him. I felt a little starved of spiritual nourishment & since returning from the Costa del Portstewart I’ve enjoyed a little series on Abraham – reminding me to trust in the hidden God, about the fulfilment of His promise to Abraham through Jesus & the importance of practicing hospitality.

So if for whatever reason you haven’t read the Bible in a while, why not hit the “turn off” button on the computer & spend some time with Father God who loves to speak to, teach, help, correct, show & train His kids.

Enjoy :-)

Friday 5 June 2009

African Proverb

If you want to go fast... go alone.

If you want to go far... go together.