Abounding!

Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

For me, these verses speak to the heart of Christian living. To listen to the world-view today, the goal in life is to be completely satisfied physically, financially and emotionally. To seek and enjoy many riches. To fill our gluttonous selves to the brim and then just a little bit more. Some of you are nodding in agreement thinking, it's the "just a little bit more" that gets us in trouble. But that's not really the truth behind our dissatisfaction. If we know Christ, we are already abundantly rich! When our circumstances stink, Paul tells us that Christ can and will strengthen us. The knowledge of knowing that, even in bad situations, in times of trouble and need, we have the strength of Christ in us to accomplish all things, is the kind of contentment that every worldly thing is empty of. In other words, what the world has to offer is void of soul satisfying joy. But what Christ has to offer is teeming with unspeakable joys. These verses to me are saying a life adapted to the world is lacking (abased), but a life adapted to Christ is rich (abounding).