Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
In this context, “to be abased” is to be brought low in mind and body by deprivations and abuse, coupled with rejection and persecution. On the other hand, to “abound” is to be well supplied with good food, proper clothing, comfortable dwelling, and charitably good friends. Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;” (I Corinthians 4:11) and they endured life “In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (II Corinthians 11:27). However, even in the absolute worse times, we have reason to rejoice; for, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” (II Corinthians 4:8-10). Paul encourages us with his own experience: “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (II Corinthians 1:8-10). Because we have a loving and caring Heavenly Father, we can joyfully endure the trying times knowing that, in a manner pleasing to Him, He will carry us through them, and we can certainly rejoice in times of abundance knowing that our Heavenly Father has opened to us His infinite storehouse of grace and mercy. Like Paul, we learn both “to be abased” and “to abound” for our Lord instructs us with real-life experiences in the application of the “faith” that He gives us (Hebrews 12:2). Through life’s experiences, He teaches us that He is always with us, that He’ll never forsake us, that He loves us with an everlasting love, and that He is indeed our loving and caring Good Shepherd. Furthermore, no matter how severely we are “abased” or how greatly we “abound”, “the love of Christ constraineth us” (II Corinthians 5:14) to faithfully and joyfully continue on in His service; for, we know that His love for us is so great that He willingly suffered and gave His precious life for us! Knowing these things compels us to daily cry unto the Lord, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Psalms 116:12).