Many who are reading this are probably recovering from overindulgence from the once a year happenings of this holiday weekend such as, overeating on Thanksgiving, watching too much football on TV and maybe spending too much money on Black Friday. For some the holiday season is a yearly ritual of “over doing it” and “too much”. If we are guilty of this, we might think that it is okay because Thanksgiving and Christmas only comes once a year. We also might also try to justify our overindulgence by telling ourselves that we were successful in past years to lose the extra pounds we put on before spring and we were able to pay off what we charged on our credit cards before May.
How would you feel if you did not have the funds this year to purchase the traditional food you usually purchase for Thanksgiving? Or have extra funds to spend for Christmas gifts? Would these holidays still have their special significance for you? What would your attitude be? How would you celebrate the holidays if you did not have the funds to purchase all the special things you do at Thanksgiving and Christmas? Yes, celebrating the holidays would be different in many households if there was not enough monies available to spend on the extra food and gifts that we are accustomed to. An important question we need to ask ourselves is, have we as Christians adapted the mentality that without the special holiday food and Christmas gifts there would be little significance these two holidays?
Just looking at Christmas spending, according to the American Research Group, the average American household spent $929 in 2016 to purchase Christmas gifts. Have you ever wondered how some families are able to spend so much extra in the month of December just for purchasing Christmas gifts without getting into debt?
If we lose sight of the original and spiritual meaning of these holidays, then we will not understand their purpose and application for others and ourselves. As a result, the way we celebrate will be very different and far from what they are supposed to be.
The apostle Paul writing to the Philippian congregation said, “…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11.
What is it that we can learn from Paul’s statement that we can apply to ourselves and also possibly use to help others, to have a Biblical perspective and attitude towards the way we celebrate the holiday season?
What I have learned about myself is, that it does not matter if I have enough funds or not to purchase what I think is necessary for the holidays. What matters is how much Christ is in me. It is not my lack of resources and the consequences that should influence my purpose and how I celebrate the holidays, but how much have I humbled myself and allowed Christ to rule in my life, my attitude and my actions.
In Philippians 4:12, Paul continues to say, “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.” The reason that Paul was content was that he learned a great secret that applies to many areas of our lives especially during the holiday season. Have we learned the secret of contentment “whatever the circumstances”?
The Apostle Paul was a thermostat. Instead of having spiritual ups and downs as the situation changed, he went right on, steadily doing his work and serving Christ. His personal references at the close of this letter indicate that he was not the victim of circumstances but the victor over circumstances: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11); “I can do everything” (Philippians 4:13); “I have received full payment and even more” (Philippians 4:18). Paul did not have to be pampered to be content; he found his contentment in the spiritual resources abundantly provided by Christ.
Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance. The complacent believer is unconcerned about others, while the contented Christian wants to share his blessings. Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). Two words in that verse are vitally important – – “learned” and “content.”
The verb “learned” means “learned by experience.” Paul’s spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after he was saved. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content. The word “content” actually means “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means “self-sufficient” and was a favorite word of the stoic philosophers. But the Christian is not sufficient in himself, he is sufficient in Christ. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life.
Pastor John
