Sept. 11, 2025

Learning to Be Content

Contentment doesn’t come from perfect circumstances; it’s learned by trusting God in every situation. In this episode, discover how gratitude can transform even life’s hardest places.

Do you find yourself waiting for life to get better before you can feel content?

The truth is, peace and gratitude don’t come from what you have or don’t have. They come from trusting God right where you are.

In today’s devotion, you’ll hear Corrie ten Boom’s story from a concentration camp, where even fleas became a surprising reminder of God’s mercy. Her testimony, along with Paul’s words in Philippians, shows us how contentment is something learned through practice, trust, and gratitude.

Main Scripture:

Philippians 4:11–12 – “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”

By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:

Why contentment doesn’t depend on circumstances
How gratitude shifts your perspective in hard places
A practical way to retrain your heart toward peace

Today’s Challenge:

Write down three things you’re tempted to complain about, and next to each one, jot a reason to thank God even in that situation.

Encouraged by today’s devotion?

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WEBVTT

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Few eras in our world's history compare to the horrible treatment of the Jews during World War II. In the Ravensbrück concentration camp, Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy are herded into filthy barracks, overcrowded bunks, rotting straw, and fleas. They open their smuggled Bible and read, Give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy bows her head and whispers, Thank you, God, for the fleas. And Corrie's thinking, There is no way I'm thanking God for that. Why would anyone do that?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and today we're talking about one of the hardest but most freeing lessons in the Christian life.

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And that is learning to be content. Not pretending everything's fine, but finding peace and gratitude in God, no matter what our circumstances look like. Philippians chapter 4, verses 11 and 12 says, Now back to the concentration camp. Now back to the concentration camp. And Corrie notices, Guards won't step inside their bunkhouse. See, guards were known to come into the women's barracks and rape and brutalize them. Corrie came to an interesting realization.

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That awful flea infestation kept the soldiers away, which meant the women were free to read scripture and pray out loud night after night without interruption. What felt like misery became a kind of mercy.

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Paul said he had to learn contentment. Paul said, How the flea-ridden barracks became a sanctuary. That's contentment learned in the hardest classroom.

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Paul said he had to learn contentment too. It didn't come naturally. It didn't come naturally. By we tie our peace to our circumstances, don't we?

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Things like, when I get that promotion, or when the house is quieter, I'll, or when my health improves, then I'll be content.

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But Paul discovered something deeper. Contentment isn't about what you have or don't have.

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It's about who you belong to.

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And that's good news for us today. Because life rarely gives us perfect conditions. There always will be fleas, whether literally, whether literal or figurative. But even in those moments, God's presence can be a source of peace. Because God won't renege on his promises.

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And his grace is always enough.

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And here's what contentment looks like in practice. It's where we choose gratitude right where we are. Naming the mercies God has placed in our lives, even if we have to squint to see them. Or trusting that he's at work in ways you can't always see. And remembering that the same God who carried Paul in prison and Corey in a concentration camp is with you too. Today, try this. Write down three things you're tempted to complain about. And next to each one, write a reason you can still thank God for it. It may be a little tough. You may have to think about it. But let God retrain your heart to see his mercy in the middle of your mess.

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Lord, teach me the secret of contentment. Help me find gratitude, not just when life feels good, but even in the hard places. Open my eyes to see your mercy at work and anchor my peace in you alone. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, contentment isn't found in circumstances, but in Christ.

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Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.

Learning to Be Content

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