Thank God that tomorrow I am going to get these tubes out of my chest.  I will be normal once more.  One of my dearest friends (who happens to work for Home Health) has come every morning at 6AM, then at 2 and lastly at 10PM to hook me up and give me the antibiotics.  Every morning and evening on her own time.  I'm not sick.  I don't hurt.  I'm just irritated (mad) with my condition.  How in the world did Paul say, "…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  Phillipians 4:11

I'm going to have to work on this "contentment" thing.  Contentment is not my nature.  But If I read that scripture correctly, it says that Paul had learned contentment.  I've got some learning to do.

My situation is just an inconvenience.  Paul's was torture, beating, and finally death at the hands of the Romans.  But he kept on doing the job that God had given him to do.  His condition didn't dictate his service and letter writing.  I am very thankful that in the midst of persecution Paul wrote letters.  What would we do without his letters.  They are a huge part of the New Testament.  We have more words about Jesus from Paul than we do from anyone else in the entire Bible.

All the writers of the New Testament wrote about Jesus, but Jesus din't ever write anything about himself.  And yet, Jesus is what the Bible all about.  He is the one we want to know about.  He is the one we need to know about.  And Paul tells us about Jesus better than any one.

So.  Concerning "learning" something that God wants you to learn, in verse 9, Paul says, "Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do:  and the God of peace shall be with you."  

So I will have to work on the first thing--learning--and then Paul says I can receive peace.  I can try and be like Paul.  Because all the doctors who have treated me feel like my arm will get infected again.  And again.  I've got to learn contentment.  It's hard.