SELAH SELAH SUNDAYYY! HOORAYYYY! You all know I get excited about Selah Sunday!
Today, I’m actually going to be talking about a scripture that’s commonly misused. Before I learned the actual meaning, I misused it! It feels good to use it the way we have, but... we got to be theologically correct, okay.
The scripture we’re going to meditate on today is Philippians 4:13 NIV. It says, “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”
Question: What does this scripture mean to you?
While it feels empowering to say “we can do all things through Christ” as an affirmation of our capabilities with Christ on our side, the context of the verse actually is speaking to God’s ability to give us contentment.
The scripture right before Philippians 4:13 says, “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 (Philippians 4:12 NIV)”. This helps us get context. Paul is talking about the contentment in all circumstances whether it be the very best or the very worst. Philippians 4:13 is the “secret”. The secret quite literally is focusing on what your God given purpose is and not on the things you have.
Question: Do you feel that you are content in this season of your life?
In order to reach a space of genuine contentment, you have to relish in God’s promises. God promises to meet every need (Philippians 4:19). He also tells us that since He is our shepherd, there’s nothing we’ll lack (Psalm 23:1). To explain this in a short and sweet fashion, everything that you have right now is exactly what you need.
Question: What does Philippians 4:13 mean to you now?
I’ve got a challenge for you. Grab a piece of paper and your favorite pen and write down everything God has blessed you with. Now, look at that list and think about how everything on it is exactly what you need right now in this season.
Question: Do you feel content with everything on that list?
If you find that you are experiencing some discontentment, reflect on the reason why. Answer these questions honestly. Don’t be hard on yourself about your answers. It’s necessary to do a real heart check every once in a while. Here are the questions:
Why do I want more of (insert thing here)?
Can the thing I want be a blessing to others?
Will the thing that I want distract me from pursuing a deeper relationship with God?
Do I want this thing because I saw that someone else has it?
Would I be content with everything that I have in this season if I didn’t feel like someone has it better than me?
After looking at the answers to these questions, make a plan to really pursue contentment if you find that the answers point to you having some discontentment. You can pray and ask God to fill you with a spirit of contentment, learn to love what you have, maybe even take a break from Pinterest so you won’t have to look at all the boards filled with things you don’t have right now. It will help you to clearly see what’s more important. Things fade away but eternal life with God is...well... eternal. That is what our focus should be on.
If you find that you’re perfectly content with everything, praise God! To maintain that contentment, focus on pursuing your purpose. Believer’s have all been given the duty to draw more people to Christ so ask yourself how you can do that using the gift(s) God has given you.
That’s all for today folks!
Happy Sunday Believer’s!
Peace and Blessings