The Secret of Contentment

I really liked this passage on contentment that I read in Muscular Christianity by P.G. Mathew.

...We Christians enjoy contentment in Christ's sufficiency and grace, not in changing circumstances.

Paul speaks about this in Philippians 4.  He had learned to be content in all circumstances--in extreme poverty or in extreme plenty.  He knew how to be abased and how to abound.  God was teaching him as he experienced divine trials.  Finally, he arrived at the state of contentment and he gives us the secret: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13).  Paul was content even in prison while chained between two soldiers.  He had learned the secret from the mouth of Jesus: "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Cor. 12:9).  So he writes, "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose...If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:28, 31).  He saves us and no one can destroy us.  Vital union with Jesus Christ is the secret of contentment.  Jesus proclaims, "I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5).  Branches receive everything they need from the vine.