“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”

We all know who is the most self-sufficient person in the office. He/She seems to never need anything and is always ready on the spot without much help from anyone else. Then there are those who just can’t seem to get through the day without a whole bunch of help and if it wasn’t someone else watching out for them they would never get to a meeting on time and if they did get there, they wouldn’t be prepared or maybe even know what the meeting was about. Being self-sufficient becomes part art and part skill. Staying on top of the latest tools and technologies certainly help, but more so it is knowing how to be organized, detail-oriented and also knowing how and when to trim the level of activity so not to get overwhelmed. Being too self-sufficient has its downside too. If we become too much of our own person then we can begin to shut out others and miss the relationships that can come with being on a team where 1 + 1 = 3. Going it alone is fine in a card game every now and then, but consistently flying solo will not win a place on the team.

Paul talks to us about being content with whatever we have or don’t have. Few can ever get to the place where that contentment can be had on both ends of the spectrum. But, that is what Paul is challenging us to do. He wants us to be self-sufficient but be so because our trust is in the Lord for Him to supply. Think of Him as the endless supply cabinet, providing us not all of our wants, but promising us to provide our needs. Through Him our sufficiency is secured.

Reference: Philippians 4:11 (New Living Testament)