Q2. Contentment and Ambition

[lighthouse2014]

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

The bases for Paul's contentment is that though he has been in every life struggle for survival or prosperity, he had learned to trust Christ for all his needs.

This contentment did not undermine Paul's ambition. He loved Christ and knew the Lord would be his strength in all situations.

The thing that is necessary for us to achieve Paul's type of contentment is to imitate his commitment to know the risen Christ in all his being.   

[blezed]

(4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?  

Paul basis for contentment was God-sufficiency.  Paul realized that Christ is sufficient to any circumstance in which he might find himself!  This contentment does not undermine ambition.  We need to see Christ as the source of our strength. 

[van]

Paul is content in knowing that all his strength comes from he Lord in any circumstance he finds himself in. Paul's contentment is from Christ and his mind is focused on serving him only. Christ must be the center of your life if you really want to be content in any circumstance.

[Rose22]

Paul's basis for His contentment was Love of Christ which encompassed much trust and Faith...He had learned acceptance...of plenty or want..He was content in either state. Knowing all things are possible through Christ...He was always able to see the bigger picture.

I don't think this contentment undermines ambition as such..but rather increases Pauls ambition to always press on towards the goal...the upward call of Christ.

For us to know this contentment we must die to self and live as Christ..radiating Him and making Him our very centre....never taking our focus off Him for a second. It's a life long effort...not an overnight thing...

[ducminh]

Paul’s contentment was his satisfaction with whatever God’s provided.  Riches of this world meant nothing to him because his treasure was in heaven.  It is incorruptible and its value is everlasting.

 

Jesus has told us:

Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 

Paul’s needs were met by the supplies that God had directed to him through many channels (or people) and they sustained his life accordingly.

 

Paul had no ambition as many other people in the world.  He saw himself as a servant of Jesus Christ; in obedience he just fulfilled the task that Christ had assigned to him.

 

For us, if we had the same contentment as Paul had, we wouldn’t have any ambition in this world.  We would also live and serve God’s will just like Paul.

 

The contentment that we discuss here can only be achieved if we also can discern that our purpose of life is for Jesus Christ’s Kingdom only.  Without that vision, we certainly fall back into the love of vanities, power and fame of this world.  Thus we will not be able to enter through the narrow gate of God’s kingdom.

 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

[forgivenforgivenforgiven]

Shalom to the Saints by Faith in Messiah Yahshua.

GREETINGS:

1.You open Yah to meet your challenge head on with a solution when you thank Him for what He has done in your life. It's like He is working on your past faith when you thank Him.

2. We believe it will already have happened. Thanksgiving is the language of Faith. I love that statement. If we are not grateful in the little things how can we be grateful in the little things He does how can we be grateful in the big things.

Shalom

FAITH

[RD35]

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

 

Paul's life was not centered around this world but it was centered elsewhere.  His mind was set on things above,  trusting Christ at each step of the journey, in each crisis and in each victory.   His basis of contentment was his dependence on Christ.   

 

Though I am sure he preferred ease rather than stress, none of these outward conditions moved him because his life was centered elsewhere.  Though Paul had his eyes set on an other-worldly goal, he very much lived in this world -- trusting Christ at each step of the journey, in each crisis and in each victory.

 

We need to trust our lives and future with Jesus Christ and for this we have to have a relationship with Jesus, when our eyes are only on him, our dependence is only on him and our minds are focused on the things above and our hope is in the promises of Jesus for us, then we can achieve this kind of contentment.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

 

Paul could get along happily because he could see life from God’s point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have. Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him. Paul had detached himself from the non essentials so that he could concentrate on the eternal.

 

Often the desire for more or better possessions is really a longing to fill an empty place in a person’s life.What is it that is  drawn when you feel empty inside? The true contentment is in Jesus? The answer lies in our perspective, priorities, and source of power who is Jesus.

 

Can we really do everything? The power we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it. He does not grant us superhuman ability to accomplish anything we can imagine without regard to his interests. As we contend for the faith, we will face troubles, pressures, and trials. We ask Christ to strengthen us.

 

[forgivenforgivenforgiven]

Shalom Saints by Faith in Messiah Yahshua.

Greeting,

1. Paul has learned a secret of being content in any and every situation whether hungry, Fed, living in plenty or want. He can do everything through Him who gives him strength.

2. No, our ambition in life is to love Yah with all our heart, soul and mind.

3. It is necessary for us to die to self trust and rely on Yah that He will give us the strength to endure when we need to abase and to be grateful to Him when we abound.

Shalom

FAITH

[joey felipe]

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment?

Answer: When he said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens in me". 

 

Does this contentment undermine ambition?

Answer: Definitely not. On the part of Christian life it is only by being contented with what you have but it does not mean you can not push thru with your ambition as long as you are doing it for God's glory and honor.

 

 

What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

Answer: What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment is to be like Paul in his faith and belief that whatever circumstance he may face with, God is always there and enough for him.

[Karen11]

On 5/6/2005 at 11:21 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

Jesus and only Jesus.

Not at all, it gives motivation to his ambition.

Staying strong in the Lord always putting the Word first. 

[Krissi]

There is ambition ... and there is ambition.

• Some ambition is personality driven -- it's quite possible to be an ambitious person in every aspect of life, work, hobbies, home, etc. Life's a contest for some people. In all ways. Every new project is a race.
• Some ambition is circumstantial -- a person can be working in a particular job, for example, and find himself pulled into a race to succeed another person. It's possible to get caught up in someone else's ambition or that of a crowd.
• Some ambition is simultaneously externally and internally generated -- a person who is a Christian can find God changing the nature of his personality-driven ambition as well as the goals toward which he strives. I think that's what happened to Paul.

Paul strikes me as an ambitious man, by personality as well as circumstances. Then, as a Christian, that same personality continues to drive him. He presses toward the mark. He sloughs off his external surroundings so focused on "winning" whatever Christ has put in front of him to do.  It must have been very hard for Paul to channel his internal ambition for Christ, to not permit himself generate ambitious feelings from within. I think that's why Paul writes these categorical statements such as, I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. It's almost as if he's convincing himself. 

I used to read this as a statement of Christ's power and how nothing can stop God's people who are serving Him becuase He's backing us up. I'm not so sure, now, this is what Paul means. Maybe the "all thing" and the "can do" refer to himself, his own driven personality? Maybe he's battling himself more than circumstances?

Contentment and ambition are often in conflict. I think of them as polar opposite. Yet, Paul is saying that his ambitions yields contentment. That's quite a revelation!