Sometimes life doesn’t pan out the way we hoped or planned. Bills pile up, relationships are strained, and dreams feel stalled. In these moments, joy can be hard to come by. You may have heard Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:4 to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This kind of joy in all circumstances sounds great—until the circumstances come. We all want lasting satisfaction, but when our lives are marked by disappointment and pain, is true contentment really possible? If we take Paul’s call seriously, then the answer is yes.
When I experience circumstances I would never have chosen for myself, I need to remind myself of who God is. There are three aspects of his character that I call to mind to help me root my satisfaction in him, no matter the circumstances.
He Is All-Knowing
God knows the past, present, and future (Isaiah 46:9–10). He knows the number of hairs on my head and the words I will say before I speak them (Matthew 10:30; Psalm 139:4). He is also perfectly wise, which means he not only knows the facts, but also knows what to do with them (Romans 11:33). He is omniscient—all-knowing.
God’s boundless wisdom and knowledge mean that I can trust him to know what is best, even when I can’t see it. From my limited perspective, I have ideas of how my life should turn out, but they don’t always align with reality. Thankfully, even though I am limited in wisdom and knowledge, God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8). I see a single puzzle piece, but he sees the full picture.
He Is All-Powerful
There is no limit to God’s power and authority. He made the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He does whatever he pleases, wherever he pleases, whenever he pleases (Psalm 135:6). Nothing is too hard for him (Jeremiah 32:17). God is omnipotent—he is all-powerful.
If God’s knowledge assures me that he knows what is best, his power assures me that he has the power to make it happen. God will not fail. He is not surprised by your circumstances, he is not hindered by your mistakes, and his plans for you cannot be thwarted.
He Is Good
A God who knows all things and has control over all things is a terrifying concept if that God is not also good. But the goodness of the Lord is abundant (Psalm 31:19)! He is “merciful and gracious . . . and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). All who take refuge in him will taste his goodness and be filled with joy (Psalm 34:8).
Because God is good, I can trust him to bring about what is for my good, even when people who are against me mean to harm me (Genesis 50:20). Instead of spending my days worrying and striving to ensure things go well, I can rest in the knowledge that he is working all things together for my good (Romans 8:28). Even when I don’t understand what he is doing, I can have confidence that every bit of it is done out of love for me.
Satisfied in Him
The Lord does not intend for us to learn facts about him simply for the sake of knowledge. God reveals who he is so we can trust him in everything he does. So when we don’t understand what he’s doing, we need to remember what’s true about him.
Remembering isn’t something that just happens to us, it’s something that God commands. Throughout Scripture God calls his people to remember him, his works, and his words. When we walk through difficult circumstances, our minds more naturally focus on what is hard than on the hope we have in Christ. That’s why we have to actively remember who God is—to call to mind his character. We must rehearse these truths to ourselves, preaching to our own hearts about the God who is with us even now. Even here. And while there are many things about God we can (and should) remember, these are three I come back to when I need fresh confidence that I can trust him with my life:
Because God is all-knowing, we can trust that he knows what is best.
Because God is all-powerful, we can trust that he will bring it to pass.
Because God is good, we can trust that it will be for our good.
And when we believe that—really believe it—we find a quiet contentment in chaos and a humble trust in the God who ordains our days. It’s an inexplicable joy that runs alongside grief and sorrow. It’s in these times we truly learn that we can be satisfied in all circumstances when we are satisfied in him.
You Are Satisfied
While we live in a culture that tells us to look for happiness and fulfillment in ourselves, there is only one path to true contentment and satisfaction—walking with Jesus. In You Are Satisfied, Joanna Kimbrel guides women on a 40-day journey designed to bring them to God’s Word to find peace, encouragement, and wisdom in the middle of life’s highs and lows.
