Notes of Faith July 11, 2025
Learning to Learn
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
Philippians 4:11
A four-year-old can play “Chopsticks” on the piano, but a fourteen-year-old can play Brahms’ “Lullaby.” A four-year-old can read short words, but a fourteen-year-old can read novels. A four-year-old can ride a bike without training wheels, but a fourteen-year-old can fly down a trail on a mountain bike. What is the key element in all these progressions of skill? It is learning.
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But it is not just physical or mental skills that can be learned; spiritual skills can be learned as well. The Greek word for learn is the verb form of the word for disciple—a learner or pupil. Both words mean to learn by practice, instruction, and experience. Learning presupposes a lack of knowledge or skill that is later gained through practice, instruction, and experience. So when the apostle Paul said, “I have learned...to be content,” he was saying he hadn’t always been content—that he had been dissatisfied, impatient, or discontent.
When you feel discontent, ask God to teach you contentment in whatever way He chooses. Learning takes time, patience, and humility.
Contentment with what we have is absolutely vital to our spiritual health.
Jerry Bridges
I am often disappointed with failure in my spiritual walk. How about you? Contentment does not only apply to worldly things but to spiritual things as well.
Are you discontent and impatient in your growth in Christ? I cannot consider that a bad thing for it should drive you to pray and ask God to deal with whatever is causing your seeming lack of growth. God is the One who promises to make you like Christ. Are you obedient to Him and His Word? We walk with Christ through the Word of God and doing what is righteous and holy. Since we still exist in bodies with a fallen nature, it will always be difficult as a Christian to be spiritually content. Learning to be content with what God provides for us through work, family, friends, should be practiced and learned daily. Never being content spiritually until we are made like Jesus should also be the order of the day. Keep praying and asking for God to fulfill His promise in you … to be like Jesus!
Pastor Dale