02/10/2025 – “How to abound”: See John Gill’s commentary on Philippians 4:12, the lesson of contentment in all circumstances. (comment – bottom)
I know how to abound.”
Philippians 4:12
There are many who know “how to be abased” who have not learned “how to abound.” When they are set upon the top of a pinnacle their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall. The Christian far oftener disgraces his profession in prosperity than in adversity. It is a dangerous thing to be prosperous. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity. Oh, what leanness of soul and neglect of spiritual things have been brought on through the very mercies and bounties of God! Yet this is not a matter of necessity, for the apostle tells us that he knew how to abound. When he had much he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear abundant prosperity. When he had a full sail he was loaded with much ballast, and so floated safely. It needs more than human skill to carry the brimming cup of mortal joy with a steady hand, yet Paul had learned that skill, for he declares, “In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry.” It is a divine lesson to know how to be full, for the Israelites were full once, but while the flesh was yet in their mouth, the wrath of God came upon them. Many have asked for mercies that they might satisfy their own hearts’ lust. Fulness of bread has often made fulness of blood, and that has brought on wantonness of spirit. When we have much of God’s providential mercies, it often happens that we have but little of God’s grace, and little gratitude for the bounties we have received. We are full and we forget God: satisfied with earth, we are content to do without heaven. Rest assured it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry–so desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of God. Take care that you ask in your prayers that God would teach you “how to be full.”
“Let not the gifts thy love bestows
Estrange our hearts from thee.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
____________________
Insert:
The lesson of contentment – See John GIll’s commentary on Philippians 4:12!:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/philippians-4-12.html
Comment:
- We don’t know how full we are relative to the rest of the world. If you took all the people that have lived, collectively we probably have more than 95% of the people that have walked the earth. The average life expectancy has risen in the U.S. from 40 in 1860 to 79 in 2020! Question: Are we more joyful? A favorite saying of Jim, my oldest paternal uncle born around 1905: “Tell me what you need, and I’ll show you how to live without it!” He was a mentor to his 11 siblings, growing up in the depression.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040079/life-expectancy-united-states-all-time
Here is the link in case you want to access Spurgeon’s devotional daily:
https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/today