Slow Down By Learning Contentment

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES The Life You Were Meant To Live

Slow Down By Learning Contentment By Rick Warren — Oct 3, 2016 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NIV). If you’re serious about slowing down, you don’t start with your schedule. You start with your heart. Paul says in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (NIV). Notice the word “learned.” You are not by nature a contented person. Neither am I! I’m a discontented person. It is my nature to want things to be different, to want them to be better. It is not my nature to be contented, and neither is yours. But if you’re going to slow down your life, you have to learn contentment. It’s learned over time. How do you do that? Paul also says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). He’s saying life isn’t about things. I didn’t have anything before I was born. I’m not going to have anything after I die. Yes, I need things, but they’re not what life is about, so I’ll just be content with what I’ve got. Let me explain what contentment is not. Contentment is not abandoning your ambition. You ought to have ambition. You ought to make the most of what God has given you. God says it’s good to have godly ambition. Contentment doesn’t mean you don’t have any goals, dreams, or plans for your life. Contentment means this: You don’t need more in order to be happy. You’re happy right now with what you’ve been given. Happiness is a choice. You are as happy as you choose to be! You can’t blame unhappiness on your circumstances. If you’re not happy with your circumstances, you’re not going to be happy with different ones. There will always be something wrong. We live on a broken planet, and nothing is perfect. God wants you to learn to be happy in spite of difficult situations by trusting that he will give you exactly what you need when you need it. Since learning contentment is a process, what is one step you can take today to practice gratitude? PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over How will learning contentment help you slow down your life? What does it mean to have godly ambition? Since learning contentment is a process, what is one step you can take today to practice gratitude? Our Gift: Re-Energize Your Life - A Life Change Book In this first-of-its-kind guide, created from Pastor Rick’s most practical teaching, you will learn everything you need to know to re-energize your life the way God intended. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes six full length teaching CD's from Pastor Rick's series The Life You Were Meant To Live. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: ​​Evicting Envy from Your Heart Message 2: ​​​​​​​​​​Getting Ready to Be Used by God Message 3: ​​Slowing Down Message 4: ​​Building Margin into Your Life Message 5: Remembering What Matters Most Message 6: ​​Lightening Your Load Message 7: Focusing Your Life PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at pastorrick.com. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2016 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe