Whatever State

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. 

Philippians 4:11-13 

Paul’s life was full of varied experiences. From the moment Christ arrested him on the road to Damascus, to the time he penned these words, it had been a veritable rollercoaster ride of what we as observers might call the good and the bad. He had become an ardent preacher of Christ. The results of that had been the sweeping of many souls into the kingdom. Paul had rejoiced to see the Holy Spirit draw souls unto salvation as the result of the preaching of Christ. In these experiences, Paul abounded. The other side of them was the incidents of opposition and outright suffering he had endured because he was preaching Christ. He catalogues some of these in 2 Corinthians when he says, ‘from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own country men, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness – besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.’ As he was writing the words of our text, he was in prison and his life hung in doubt. Therefore, for Paul to use the words of our text, as he did, is no small statement. He was speaking from a wide range of experience. It was his association with Christ which had brought about these about. This sets the stage for a discussion of how Paul could say, ‘I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.’ 

Our Wise and Holy God, 
we rejoice that You give us a wide range of experiences, 
to build us up in the most holy faith. 
We praise You that as we have these, 
we learn to imitate Christ. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning