contentment is an elusive thing in this society because this society wants to make you a victim this society wants to emphasize and glorify your personal rights this society wants to turn jesus into the genie you rub the bodily jumps out and gives you what you want the society through advertising wants to dissatisfy you with absolutely everyone.

Welcome to Grace to You, featuring the Bible teaching of John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson.

It's been said, if you haven't faced trials, you just haven't lived long enough. Okay, so you know

hard times are coming. The question is, how do you prepare for them? Where can you go for

strength when you face a family tragedy or a medical emergency or a financial crisis? Find out on

today's grace to you as John MacArthur continues his study,

the pillars of Christian character, with a look at how you can be content in good times and hard

times. As you'll see, that sort of attitude is not something you're born with. It has to be

cultivated. So follow along now with John for a practical look at this thing called

contentment. Here's John MacArthur. We have talked about the spiritual attitudes, faith, love,

humility, unity, compassion, forgiveness, joy, thanks. We've talked about how essential to the life of the church those spiritual

attitudes are because they carry the church's life. They're the internal organs in the body

of Christ through which the life flows and generates ministry. And one of those essential

attitudes is the attitude of contentment, contentment.

Philippians chapter four, turn to it with me.

Philippians chapter four.

Now as the Apostle Paul writes this epistle to the Philippians, you need to know a little

about his circumstances.

At the time he is writing, he is a prisoner.

He is a lonely man as it were, humanly speaking.

Every movement of his hand, as he writes, causes the clanking of the chain to which

he is linked to the soldier.

...