Section 5
"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound." He knew both how to be humbled and be in lowly circumstances and also how to live with abundance.
Before Epaphroditus came, Paul was abased. After he came with the supply, Paul was abound ing. But he did not know how long this abound ing would last. He knew that probably the time would come when once again he would be in want. This was the reason he first said, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound." But because Epaphroditus had arrived with the supply, Paul then changed the order and said, "I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to be in want." Knowing that his circumstances could change again very soon, Paul said that he knew not only how to be abased and how to abound, but also how to abound and how to be in want.
GOD' S SOVEREIGN ARRANGEMENT
OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES
My reason for dwelling on this matter is to point out that our circumstances are always sov ereignly arranged by God. Sometimes His sover eign arrangement puts us in a low situation, and at other times in circumstances that are quite