"[G]odliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). But the contentment to be added to godliness is quite different from a lazy man’s willingness to live in filth and squalor. Godly contentment is more than Webster’s definition of being content: "happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different; satisfied."

Ungodly contentment describes a sluggard who "buries his hand in the dish" and "he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth" (Proverbs 26:15, NIV). That kind of man is most content when doing nothing: "As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed" (Proverbs 26:14, NIV).

Though "self-sufficiency" is a proper definition of contentment (autarkeia, B-G-D, p. 122), it can be an ungodly self-sufficiency. When humanists think "that the way of human beings is" in "their control, that mortals" can "direct their" own "steps" (cf. Jeremiah 10:23, NRS), their self-sufficiency is ungodly. Humanists write that "Man … alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams," and "he has within himself the power of its achievement" (HUMANIST MANIFESTO, I, p. 10). "No deity will save us; we must save ourselves" (ibid., II, p. 16).

Godly contentment begins with the acknowledgement that one is a sinner (1 Kings 8:46; Romans 3:23). Next, he has faith that God "exists" and that he "so loved the world" of sinners that he sent his Son to shed his blood to pay the price of sin (Hebrews 11:6; John 3:16; 1 Peter 1:18-21). Godly contentment is not attained when a sinner believes in God and in Jesus, but only when he has repented and been immersed (Acts 2:38).

A sincere sinner, when he has learned that, in addition to faith in God and in Jesus, he must repent and be immersed, he is eager to do so, even at midnight (Acts 16:25-33). When he sees a pool of water, he exclaims, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:37, NRS). Only after his immersion is he able to go "on his way rejoicing" in godly contentment (Acts 8:39).

Afterward, if that new Christian suffers persecution, or needs money, or has terminal cancer, or loses a loved one, can he still "rejoice" in looking forward by faith that God will make good come from his situation? (Philippians 4:4; Romans 8:28). He will at times weep outwardly, but inwardly godly contentment keeps him self-contained, uncomplaining, and confident.

After his immersion he must begin growing in "the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18, NRS). All newly baptized people are "like newborn babes" who "long for the pure milk of the word," which is their holy Bible (1 Peter 2:2, NAS). Each Christian can say with Job, "I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (23:12, NAS).

Then, as he continues to be nourished by the Scriptures, and to "Pray without ceasing," he will learn to be content inwardly despite any bad health, job loss, or bereavement (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 5:12-14). Then, and only then, has he added contentment to his godliness. Then, and only then, is he able to make Paul’s words his words:

Not physical might, not even a healthy body, was the strength Christ gave to Paul. Rather, through years of discipline, he would be autarkes (Philippians 4:11), self-sufficient, contented, "independent of external circumstances" (Thayer, p. 85).

The strength imparted by Christ was not immediate nor spontaneous. Twice Paul wrote he had had to learn to be autarkes (Philippians 4:11-12). First, he used the word manthano, "learn," which, in Paul’s case, was not to learn from a teacher, but "through experience or practice" (B-D-G, p. 490). Second, he used the word mueo, a word originally used to carry the learner into a hidden knowledge of pagan "mystery religions," but used by Paul to carry him into the secret of self-sufficiency, "the best will-fed and going hungry" and being contented at the same time (B-G-D, p. 529). With the secret learned, Paul could say, "I have been so disciplined by experience that whatsoever be my lot I can endure" (Thayer, p. 419). It follows then that Christians today expect a quick infusion of contentment from Christ. The secret of contentment has to be learned by years of experience.

The Christians in Philippi in Macedonia were in "deep poverty," but their "overflowing joy" in the Lord and their love for Paul moved them to collect money "more than once" in 51 A.D. to send help to their father in the gospel while he was preaching in Thessalonica (2 Corinthians 8:2; Philippians 4:16).

Then eleven years later they heard that Paul was in need again, over in Rome, apparently having to pay rent for a lodging and to buy food (cf. Acts 28:16). The poor, loving Christians at Philippi again made up a collection, and asked one of their own members, Epaphroditus, to carry it 400 miles, over land and sea, to Paul (Philippians 4:18).

To the grateful Paul, it was "a fragment aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God" (Philippians 4:19). But, alas, it was not enough. Epaphroditus saw the situation, stayed in Rome and apparently got a job and divided his pay with Paul. He was a "servant of my need," wrote Paul (Philippians 2:25).

Probably Epaphroditus worked too many hours, for he became critically ill and "was near death for Christ’s work, risking his life, that he might make up" what Paul owed that was above the amount that Epaphroditus had brought (Philippians 2:27, 30). The news of his illness got back to Philippi, and Ephaproditus "was distressed because" the Philippian Christians "had heard that he had been sick" (Philippians 2:26). Paul took over and sent his "brother and fellow worker" back home (Philippians 2:25).

In Paul’s "thank-you" note for the money, he spoke of the Philippian Christians as "my gracious partners" whom "I have in my heart" (Philippians 1:7). He "rejoiced greatly" that "now at last" after eleven years they had "revived" their "concern for" him, "for though indeed you were concerned" but "you had no opportunity" (Philippians 4:10).

Paul welcomed the money Epaphroditus had brought, rejoicing that it was a treasure laid up "in heaven" and marked to the "account" of the Philippians (Matthew 6:20; 10:42; Philippians 4:17). However, the money was not as important to Paul as his continuing ability spiritually to be self-sufficient, uncomplaining and contented, with or without the money.

Paul in 62 A.D., when he received the money, had no been a Christian about 29 years, during which years he had suffered intensely. In 57 A.D., when he was about 57 years old, he had written:

Those bitter and cruel experiences he used positively to make himself a better Christian. However, those experiences were not sufficient in the Lord’s eyes to ward off conceit and self-exaltation (2 Corinthians 12:7). The Lord allowed Satan to make Paul suffer "a thorn in the flesh" to bring him low, so that he might be spiritually stronger, "because strength reaches completion in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Misguided translations (KJV, ASV, NAS, NIV, NRS) have inserted the word "do" in Philippians 4:13, making Paul say something foreign to his mind: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul did not write the word "do" (poieo). A young preacher rebuked the elders who had told him that at present they were not able financially to enlarge their auditorium. He told the elders they did not have enough faith, for Paul said that we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens" us, and that Jesus said, "Nothing shall be impossible to you" (Philippians 4:13; Matthew 17:20).

Instead of Paul’s using the word "do" (poieo), he wrote ischuo, meaning to be strong, to be powerful, to be able. He was not talking about what he could do, but was continuing the thought he had just been discussing about contentment, that he was able inwardly to remain calm and contented no matter what happened to him outwardly.

A Christian who failed in his spiritual growth to attain contentment, after more than eighty years, has touched my heart. No man has ever loved the Lord or his wife more than the beloved and talented Foy E. Wallace, Jr. Thousands of sparkling-clear sermons he preached from coast to coast. His last car had over 300,000 miles on its speedometer when he had to get off the road and retire.

A small apartment was reserved for him and Virgie at the Gunter (TX) christian Hime. Before the Wallaces moved in they passed through Dallas and were visiting with Foy’s sister Guille and her husband, Hulen Jackson. Foy, usually cheerful and a good conversationalist, was sad and had little to say. He complained about having to quit traveling and to give up his many protracted gospel meetings.

Guille heard his sad words and saw a frown. She said, "Foy, I have heard you preach in many places that Paul never complained about what happened to him, and that he made himself contented everywhere he went." Foy was quiet. Then he looked at Guille, and she saw tears under his eyes. He said, "I guess I never thought that Paul was talking to me."

Another Christian had to bury an only daughter, but had cultivated inward peace and contentment. If anyone had asked Franklin and Hazel Camp, "Is it well with the child?," they would have replied, "It is well" (2 Kings 4:26).

Franklin, learning from Gus Nichols, read his Bible three or more hours daily. He came to be known as Alabama’s most knowledgeable in the Scriptures. In 1981 he was hospitalized with an apparent heart attack, and was told that four arteries were partially blocked (60%, 80%, 90%, 95%), and that surgery was required, but must be delayed to prepare his whole body for the knife.

Thank God, his inward body, his mind and soul, he kept prepared always for any eventuality. For 12 days the doctor had him to lie flat on his back. During those days he quoted from a man after God’s own heart who had learned the secret of being at ease in any situation:

For hundreds of times, during those 12 days, David’s words of trust and contentment Franklin kept repeating to himself. Then, as he was wheeled into the operating room, he was calm, saying to himself, "If I get well, fine; but if not, a better place is waiting for me."

Alice Hansche Mortenson is the author of "I needed the Quiet":

Lois McCord has helped in gospel meetings as only a woman can in appointments twice around the world, and in local churches in many states. She is a faithful helper to a husband who "had outmarried himself" (Boone Douthitt’s words).

Lois, now an octogenarian, on December 8, 1994, had a severe fall, breaking two vertebrae, and suffering a mild heart attack. After none months and counting, and with blood clots in both legs, she is still in bed most of the time.

From her youth she has believed what G. C. Brewer preached as she listened to him at Union Avenue Church in Memphis that "all things work together for good to them who love the Lord" (Romans 8:28). She does not know what good will come out of her accident, but she knows good will come.

Frankie and Brenda Hicks, Double Springs, Alabama, helped Lois by a card containing the words of Quintus Horatius Flaccus (B.C. 65-8 A.D.), Latin poet, "THE BEST OF BLESSINGS, A CONTENTED MIND." The card also contained an adaptation of Philippians 4:12: "I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUTATION."

The 4^th edition of the Freed-Hardeman Version at Philippians 4:13 will say: "I CAN ENDURE EVERY SITUATION THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME."