910 Practice the Pivot

Can you be content here? Contentment is not a feeling, it is a focus. You may feel restless. You may feel dissatisfied. You may feel anxious. But what is your focus here? Contentment is an intentional pivot of your heart and mind towards a peaceful happiness. Maybe your circumstances won’t be changing today, but with a little practice of the pivot, you can find contentment. Paul was the follower of Jesus who spent a whole lot of time in prison. He knew hardship. He knew unfair treatment. He knew having everything stripped from you. He knew being beat. He knew disappointment. He knew discouragement. And he knew contentment. He learned the secret of choosing to be content in all circumstances. Don’t you want to know the secret? Don’t you want to know how you can be peacefully happy right here in the middle of this? Don’t you want to know how you can go through times where the whole world is flipped upside down, without getting flipped upside down yourself? Oh here it is, Paul says in Philippians 4: 11-13 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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 all things through him who gives me strength.” Paul LEARNED to be content. He had to practice this. It didn’t come natural in the beginning. And maybe that’s where you are … naturally you’re all stirred up when things go wrong. Naturally you’re reactive to the interruption of your plans. Naturally you’re dissatisfied when things aren’t right. It would be totally unnatural for you to stay calm in the storm. It would be unnatural for you to not worry. It would be unnatural for you to be happy in today’s reality. But with practice what is unnatural to you now can become natural to you in the future. It was once unnatural for you to walk. Then you began learning to walk. It took a few months, you would fall down and have to crawl, but eventually you learned because you practiced. As you continued, walking went from unnatural to natural. Now walking is so natural to you, you don’t even think about it. You stand up and balance and your feet just move. You learned this new ability and it became natural to you. That’s what Paul is saying. He LEARNED to be content. It wasn’t natural. In the beginning he too got all upset and flipped the heck out. He too allowed his thoughts to run through his mind like wild banshees creating havoc. He too threw the occasional pity party and licked his wounds for days. But with practice, he learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Whatever … that’s a key word in this scripture. Whatever happens here, I will be content. Whatever doesn’t happen here, I will be content. Whatever may come, I will be content. Whatever never comes, I will be content. Contentment is not tied to circumstantial conditions. It’s a ‘whatever’ commitment. Now that’s tough. That’s why practice is required. And today, we just practice with whatever. Whatever you woke up to this morning, this is your practice field. Whatever comes your way today, this is your practice play. We’re practicing contentment, a focus on peaceful happiness. Not a feeling, a focus. There are some things you just can’t be happy with. Some things are not good no matter how hard you twist them. You are not expected to be happy WITH all things, you are learning to tap into your peaceful happiness IN all things. There is a difference. You’re not happy with divorce, but can you find happiness IN divorce. You’re not happy with financial hardship, but can you find contentment IN financial hardship? You’re not happy with middle school drama,