When I see those famous words, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Phil 4:11) my mind most often goes to learning to be content in times of trouble. Don’t you?

But, you know what? You know what I think so many of us miss when we read this familiar passage?

Paul does not only say, “I know how to be abased” but he also says “I know how to ABOUND”. He has learned to be FULL and to be hungry (Phil 4:12).

Let’s don’t miss this!

We need to learn how to run to Jesus in trouble, but we also need to learn to keep our eyes on Jesus when the blessings we can see are abounding and full!

We often, and perhaps more easily, run to Jesus when everything in our life is crazy.

But it’s sometimes easy to forget about Jesus when our earthly circumstances are great. Anybody else notice this?

In the good days, it’s easy to forget God is there and go back to drawing from wells that can’t actually satisfy us. (Jer 2:11-14) Just think about the Israelites.

When earthly blessings flood our lives we often go right back to “drinking the Kool-aid” again from this world that ultimately leaves us thirsty and unsatisfied.

We have to recognize this flesh-tendency! And in times where our earthly blessings are so easy to see all around us, we need to be intentional to continue to drink from the Living Water.

This may mean we take a moment to deliberately turn our eyes from the blessings we can see to the TRUE LASTING BLESSING of the God we cannot see.

For it is He who will strengthen us. It is He alone who can truly satisfy us!

Let’s learn to walk by faith when we can’t see the blessings but also when we can!

Happy Thanksgiving week friends! We, who call Jesus Lord, truly have so much to be thankful for!

readPhilippians

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