Misunderstood, Misinterpreted, 

Misconstrued and Misapplied

 

In doing some study for an upcoming series of lessons on contentment for our Ladies Bible Study, I was reminded of an old post I had written that I thought timely to repost. I pray that you will learn something as I too did in writing this. 

Are you ever guilty of wrongly interpreting verses of Scripture? Do you find yourself stripping away surrounding verses, removing them from their original context and putting your own spin on them?

Now, I understand that we are not all theologians, myself included, and we will never understand all of Scripture as we wish we could, but if we truly want to know what a Bible verse or passage means, we have to read it in its context.

This was brought to my attention this morning as I read over a very familiar passage found in Philippians chapter 4.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

This particular verse is well-loved and often quoted. We read it on mugs or framed with a picture on a wall, or on a T-shirt. But unfortunately, it is frequently misunderstood and misapplied. Guilty? Yeah, me too.

Contrary to popular belief, this verse is not a promise that God will enable believers to do whatever they want, whenever they want. God is not a cosmic vending machine ready to dispense a desired outcome. Press C4. Now God will grant you the strength to become an Olympic swimmer. No. It doesn’t work like that.

We’re often guilty of eisegesis (reading our thoughts or desires into Scripture), rather than faithful exegesis (drawing out of Scripture what is really there and what is really meant).

After reading through the book of Philippians this morning, this passage in chapter 4 hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to dig deeper.

Maybe it resonated with me more as I have struggled with contentment a lot lately. And possibly, as you read this, you realise that you are facing the same struggles too.

So, if you’re interested in doing a deep dive into these well-known verses, then stay with me. Make yourself a cuppa. We could be here a while.

Just before Paul makes this powerful statement found in verse 13, he writes these words.

Philippians 4:11-12 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Paul recounts some of the circumstances he has found himself in. Keep in mind where he writes this letter to the church at Philippi from. Prison. Yes. A prisoner in a Roman jail.

Paul reminds us that in the past he has been hungry, and he’s been well-fed. He’s been in need, and he’s been well off. He has found himself on both sides and yet, he has learned to be content.

Remember what I said about context? Verse 13 is not a blanket endorsement that God will support anything we set our minds to and that he will empower us to do the impossible. It’s not a matter of God helping us to do whatever we decide to do. No. It’s an assurance that we can do whatever God calls us to do. See the difference? Not our desires. His desires. But in this context, it is more.

Let’s jump back into verses 11 and 12.

Did you notice that Paul said he had learned to be content? In other words, this didn’t come naturally. He wasn’t born with contentment built in. No. He had to learn it. But how? How do we learn contentment?

Stay with me and I’ll get to that.

Let’s look at 2 words in verse 12. Abased and abound.

Now, I don’t know about you, but abase is not a word I ever use. If we look at it in the Greek, we will see that it has the idea of humility. Humbleness. Bringing low. Modest. Devoid of all haughtiness. Reduced to lower circumstances. And in comparison with the word abound, I think we can gather from this that in being abased, he had suffered need. He had gone hungry. He had been brought low.

In contrast, Paul reminds us that he also knew how to abound. To overflow. To exceed. To have over and above. To be abundant. He had had times where he was well off. Well fed. Living in better circumstances.

But the beautiful thing here, is that Paul had learned to be content with either. Whether he was full or empty, he was content.

He knew how to suffer without being overcome and overwhelmed by it. He knew how to be abased and not lose his faith and trust in God. He didn’t fall into despondency and disbelief in God’s providence just because of his dire circumstances, of which we know he had plenty.

But he also knew how to abound. He knew how to be full, but not proud, secure in himself or boastful. And that’s no mean feat.

For some reason, (and when we look further, we’ll see why), nothing could disturb Paul’s equanimity. Nothing could upset his mental or emotional stability or composure. He was able to remain calm and content under tension and strain and in difficult situations.

How about you? How often is your mental or emotional state affected by your circumstances? I hate to confess, but for me, it is far too often than I care to admit.

So, how in the world did Paul so confidently say, I have learned to be content? It may sound as if Paul is boasting in his own goodness. With his “I” and “I know” statements, we may think that he is proud. But when you get to verse 13 you see the answer to the ‘how’.

Philippians 4:13 KJV - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Do you see the 2 key words? Through Christ.

How did he learn to be content in all circumstances? He learnt how at the feet of Jesus. It was only through Christ that he could learn contentment.

Paul is not boasting about his achievements, he is giving the glory to God. He makes sure we understand that it was only through Christ that he was able to persevere through hard trials. And it was also through Christ that he could enjoy, without self-absorption and pride, the good times.

It is by God’s grace that we can learn to be content in all circumstances. It is through him.

Paul had learned to bring his mind under control and make the best of every circumstance, whether good or bad. There is a lot to be said on the subject of our minds and how our thoughts dictate our actions. I’ll leave that for another time, but it is worth deeper study.

You know as well as I do, that our circumstances are always changing. But the heart of what Paul is trying to say, is that contentment does not and should not depend on our circumstances. Circumstances are always changing, but our contentment can remain constant.

Paul gives us two opposing poles to look at. A lot and a little. Abundance and lack. We will all find ourselves somewhere on that spectrum. It may be somewhere in the middle, but the point is that we can have a contentment in Christ that remains the same.

“Circumstances do not determine our contentment. Our contentment comes because Christ is with us in any set of circumstances”.

Verse 12 gives the context to the secret found in verse 13. It is through Christ which strengthens us.

So why is context so important for interpretation? When Paul says I can do “all things”, he means something very specific. And this is what jumped out at me today. He is referring back to the lot and the little, the abundance and the lack, he found in verse 12.

We can’t take verse 13 as a promise that as believers, we can do anything we desire to do.

Yes, Christ can help us do all things, but they need to be things in line with Scripture and according to His will and His desires. Not our own.

It is through Christ’s strength that we are able to face life’s circumstances with contentment and joy.

Philippians 4:13 KJV - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We need Christ’s strength, not our own, in order to do God’s will. We need his strength to be content. And not only in the difficult times. We need to be careful that we stay content in times of plenty.

Proverbs 30:8-9 KJV - Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

In these verses in Proverbs, we see that riches can cause us to forget the Lord and live as though we have no need of him, just as poverty can cause us to doubt him and go as far as to curse him.

There is danger in both circumstances, poverty or riches, of being discontent.

Let’s take a little look at this word ‘strengthen’ found in Philippians 4:13.

Now, I’m not great at grammar, but I do love looking into words and digging into their meanings.

Matthew Henry says that the word in the original is a participle of the present tense and so indicates a continued act. It is as if Paul is saying: “Through Christ, who is strengthening me, and does continually strengthen me; it is by his constant and renewed strength I am enabled to act in every thing; I wholly depend upon him for all my spiritual power.”

God wants us to be strong and it is by his power that we have this strength. An ongoing strength.

Ephesians 6:10 KJV - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

2 Timothy 2:1 KJV - Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:16 KJV - That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

We can have strength to do all things, but this strength and power must come from Christ. Notice in these verses that it is by God’s strength? ‘In the Lord. In his grace. By his Spirit.’

So, in coming full circle back to our original thought, “I can do all things”, we have to pause and remember that in this context Paul is labouring the point that these ‘all things’ refer to the preceding verses. He wants us to know that we can learn contentment and that we can learn to endure lack or abundance through God’s power and his presence.

I can do all things. I can live content through any circumstance. I can live joyful.

This beautiful verse is not a catch-all phrase to be used as a lucky charm or a phrase we repeat to ourselves in order to justify our desires and the wrong thinking that God will bless everything we do and every choice we make because we have his power and strength.

Yes, it is true that we have access to God’s strength and power, but he can just as easily take it away if we are guilty of misusing it.

James 4:3 KJV - Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

We can’t just apply this verse to all situations and expect God to come through when our will does not line up with his.

I think what hit me the most this morning was the placement of this verse and realizing where it was in Scripture and the fact that the ‘all things’ meant the lot and the little. The good and the bad. The easy and the hard. The plenty and the few.

It struck me that the ‘all things’ that I could do was to learn contentment. I could, through God’s strength, learn to live joyful in all circumstances.

My circumstances don’t have to dictate my happiness. My contentment needs to be based on the person of Jesus Christ.

Paul, in prison, denied freedom, most likely hungry, possibly with a death sentence looming over his head, writes these words, “I can do all things through Christ”.

God never promises that all our earthly problems will go away or be fixed. In fact, the Bible says the opposite in John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We will face storms. We will face trials. We will face hardships, but we can learn to have peace and joy and contentment even on our darkest days.

Paul is proof of this. Beaten. Jailed. Whipped. Shipwrecked and eventually killed for his faith, he wrote often about his joy and peace.

Paul’s contentment didn’t come through the power of positive thinking or some inner determination or strength. It was Jesus who gave him strength.

How can we apply this passage to our everyday life?

Don’t let your circumstances determine your joy – We have to put things in their proper perspective. We often think that we need certain things to line up in order to be happy, but the reality is that all we need is Christ. Paul didn’t let his depressing circumstances steal his joy. He was content with the knowledge that Christ was with him and that was enough. God was enough.

Keep your eyes on Jesus- We don’t need to dig deep within ourselves to find some inner strength or resolve in order to make it through trying times. We need to look to Jesus. When we start focusing on all our problems, we lose sight of God, and we forget that he is in control. The world’s philosophy says, “You got this!”. Well, let me break it to you, we don’t got this! If we focus our eyes on Christ, we will be able to navigate the issues we face and get through whatever lies ahead. God’s got this! His power. His strength. His enabling.

In 1 Timothy, Paul exhorts Timothy, and us, to be content.

1 Timothy 6:7-8 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Contentment has to do with satisfaction, fulfilment, gladness, cheerfulness, restfulness, peace. Paul is warning that rather than striving to accumulate wealth, we as followers of the Lord, should focus our attention on pursuing holiness in conduct, attitude and thought. We should choose to be content in whatever circumstances the Lord puts us in. We can be content.

Contentment is not found in ‘things’. True contentment lies in having faith in God, that whatever he chooses to do in our lives, whatever he chooses to give us, or not give us, is according to his perfect will and we should put our trust in him and be content that he is working for our good.

When the seed of discontentment is sown in our hearts, it begins to grow and pretty soon our whole outlook is one of frustration and ungratefulness.

As these verses tell us, we came into this world with nothing, and we’ll go out with nothing. Interestingly enough, it also tells us that we should be content with food and raiment. Full stop. That’s it. Wow! Food and clothes. Well, we all have that don’t we? But is it enough? We often want so much more.

“If you cannot find happiness, joy, peace, and contentment in the Lord with what He has already done for you in your present- then you will probably not be able to find it with whatever He will want to do for you in your future, since you will always be looking for that next, new, big thing that you think will make you happy, content, and fulfilled.”

It’s true. If we don’t work on being content today, we’re not going to be content in the future. I love how Paul says in Philippians, “I have learned”. In other words, it didn’t come naturally, he had to work at it. It’s something he had to learn. And it’s something we have to learn too. There is hope. We can learn to be content. We can work on it. We can practice contentment. We can do ‘all things’ with Christ’s strength.

Every day, God brings little things, little blessings into our lives that we take for granted. Stop. Take notice of these things. And praise him. Aim for a contented spirit. Keep a record of God’s blessings so that when you begin to feel that discontentment welling up inside of you, you can go back over your list of blessings and praise God once again.

 

Contentment does not mean that I desire nothing,

but rather, it's the simple decision to be happy with what I have.

 

 

Praise that flows from a heart of gratefulness

 

The past few weeks have been hard. I’m not afraid to admit it.

The workload heavy, the mental load cumbersome, physical illness underlying the days activities leaving not only me, but others in our church community, exhausted and weary in body and soul.

But today was different. Today it seemed to me that the wind had changed. The mood lifted. The sun shone brighter. The birds sang louder. The wind rustling the leaves in the trees played the notes of a melody, sweet and inviting.

And I was reminded of a beautiful verse found in the Psalms.

Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Continually. Always. Perpetually.

Not just on the good days. But every day!  

We are to be praising God on a regular basis. Why? Because he commands us to. But also, because it brings glory to him.

Psalm 50:23a Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:

Bringing glory to his name is to be our ultimate goal as a Christian.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

I love how Charles Spurgeon puts it.

” It is not left to our own option—whether we shall praise God or not. Praise is God’s most righteous due, and every Christian, as the recipient of His grace, is bound to praise God from day to day. We have no commandment prescribing certain hours of song and thanksgiving, but the law written upon the heart teaches us that it is right to praise God; and the unwritten mandate comes to us with as much force as if it had been recorded on the tables of stone or handed to us from the top of thundering Sinai.

Yes, it is the Christian’s duty to praise God. It is not only a pleasurable exercise, but it is the absolute obligation of his life. Do not think you who are always mourning, that you are guiltless in this respect, or imagine that you can discharge your duty to your God without songs of praise. You are bound by the bonds of His love to bless His name so long as you live, and His praise should continually be in your mouth, for you are blessed, in order that you may bless Him.”

Isaiah 43:21 KJV - This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

“If you do not praise God, you are not bringing forth the fruit which He, as the Divine Gardener, has a right to expect at your hands.”

I didn’t find it easy to praise God in the last couple of weeks, but when I took the time to sit and think about and write down my gratitude to him, I found that there were so many things to be thankful for that the only thing my heart could do, was praise him!

What a blessing it is to be able to look beyond the storm, behind the clouds and praise God for who he is. We don’t have to know why he does what he does if we know who he is!

He is the Creator and Sustainer of life, and everything is in his hand. He orders our days. He sends the rain and the sunshine.

As his children and the receivers of his grace and mercy, we are duty bound to praise him. But let us not see it as a duty but an amazing privilege.

How wonderful is it that we worship a God that is so worthy of our thanks! How amazing is it that we can trust his every move even when we don’t understand it!

So, if you’re struggling through your days, finding life harder than usual, take the time to reflect on all you have to be thankful for.

Look up at the sky, listen to the birds’ song, go and soak in that glorious sunset, feel the raindrops on your face, and let his praise be continually in your mouth!

“Let not your harp then hang upon the willows but take it down, and strive, with a grateful heart, to bring forth its loudest music. Arise and chant His praise. With every morning’s dawn, lift up your notes of thanksgiving, and let every setting sun be followed with your song. Belt the earth with your praises; surround it with an atmosphere of melody, and God Himself will hearken from heaven and accept your music.”    C. Spurgeon

“Worship is our love expressed to God as a response to his grace toward us”

 

I see the sun rise in the morning
And a million stars at night
I hear the birds, they can't stop singing hallelujah
I see His goodness when I fall down
And it's grace that picks me up
Every day, I can't stop singing hallelujah

How can you not see God
In every little thing, in every little moment?
How can you not feel loved?
How can you not? How can you not?
'Cause He's in the middle of
Every little thing and every little moment
How can you not see God?
How can you not? How can you not?

I see the sunset and I wonder
If He paints it just for me
Nobody else could make a world so beautiful
How could I question His love when it's everywhere I go
Wherever I look, I find another miracle

How can you not see God
In every little thing, in every little moment?
How can you not feel loved?
How can you not? How can you not?
'Cause He's in the middle of
Every little thing and every little moment
How can you not see God?
How can you not? How can you not?

L.Crawford

 

Sometimes love looks like chaos

(just some thoughts from the heart of a mother and grandmother - aka me)

 

I stare at the mounting pile of dirty dishes in the sink and on the adjacent countertop. The kitchen bench is strewn with cups, a half-eaten piece of toast, a box of tissues, a cookie rack with chocolate-chip biscuits, fresh from the oven. My gaze turns toward the toys scattered all over the floor, puzzle pieces, matchbox cars, blocks and couch cushions, tiny prickles from the grass outside have stuck fast to the rug on the floor. As I walk out onto the verandah, I step carefully over a couple of little plastic tricycles, a pile of random, mismatched shoes, pieces of coloured chalk laying on top of some creative artwork, a plastic cup in a puddle of water, a milk crate, a broom, a laundry basket, some pegs.

What a mess! Or is it?

It may look like chaos, it may not be the most peaceful scene, but you know what? It’s a loved mess. And THAT makes ALL the difference!

Love doesn’t always look like peace. Sometimes it looks like laundry. Sometimes it looks like dirty dishes. Sometimes it looks like noise.

We often see mess as just something to fix. But what if we saw it as an evidence of love?

What if instead of seeing chaos we saw it as a house that’s lived in where memories were made, where creativity was explored and where little lives were molded and skills were taught?

Love isn’t in the perfect. It’s in the continual showing up. It’s in the day to day sacrificing of what I want over what others need. It involves things getting a little messy.

Now I’ll be the first to say how much I love tidiness. I love an ordered home. I love organized cupboards and a tidy pantry. I love everything to have its place but there are times when it’s okay to just let it go.

The mess will be there tomorrow, but childhood waits for no one. Time rushes on, newborns become toddlers and toddlers become teens and before long adulthood is reached and the season is over.

I know this all too well, being the mother of five daughters and a grandmother of 10!

Just when you think the days of endless tidying and picking up after little ones is gone, along come precious little lives in the form of grandchildren!

And if you are blessed to be in my position, you now have another opportunity to pour into a new generation and make new memories that will live on well after you’re gone.

I was reminded of this this past weekend. We were blessed to have not only my parents here visiting but also all of our grandchildren (and their parents) and some friends as well. As all 28 of us sat scattered around the fire pit in the front yard, camp chairs strewn about, the table laden with food, picnic blankets and a cot for little ones, marshmallows roasting over the fire, toys and shoes littering the verandah and dishes in the sink, I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for God’s goodness to us.

Yes, there was mess. But it was beautiful!

If you are reading this and you are childless or empty nesters with no grandchildren as yet, there is still something I want to say to you.

We, as followers of Christ, are to be ambassadors and kingdom builders. And what better way than to show hospitality and love to those around us.

I will warn you though, that hospitality comes at a price. As one of my favourite authors puts it:

 “Living a life of welcome opening both your heart and your home means your stuff gets used. And reused. Over and over again. Your items get nicked and scratched your carpet and rugs and linens get stained. While this doesn't mean we don't try to make our surroundings pleasant, it does mean we learn to accept some degree of imperfection. Well used items often mean that we have loved well.” Karen Ehman

Look at what the Bible says on this subject.

1 Peter 4:8-10 KJV - And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Isn’t it interesting that we are told to use hospitality without grudging. That means without murmuring or muttering or grumbling!

This means we’re to do it cheerfully. Without complaining!

So, today, as you look around you at the space you live in, think about this? Is it lived in? Are memories made there? Are your dishes used and your couches maybe a little worn because of the hospitality you show and the welcoming atmosphere that radiates from your home?

Do you see the mess as a loved mess? Do you see it as an evidence of your love?

As you stoop down to pick up yet another toy or discarded item of clothing, think about the hands that have handled it and the heart of that little one. As you wash yet another coffee cup after your guests leave, think about the influence you have in that person’s life. Did you speak truth over them? Did you show them the love of Christ? Or were you more concerned about the mess they made?

It often makes me think of the story of Mary and Martha. (Luke 10) Now I don’t want to take this passage out of context or make application where it isn’t, but I think sometimes we run about, frazzled with a Martha spirit when what we need is Mary’s heart. Content to just sit and listen and rest.

Sometimes God is calling you to just enjoy the mess and the chaos and overlook the crumbs in order to invest in the lives of others.

Let’s start seeing our messes as loved messes. It’s all about how we look at it.

God looks at the mess we leave behind and the mistakes we make, and he still calls us his precious, loved child. He still loves us unconditionally. He sees our faults, he sees our flaws and yet when he looks at us, he sees a loved mess.

Sometimes love looks like chaos and that’s okay.

Give yourself a break mama. There’ll be time to tidy up at the end of the day……Or the next day