Perspective: A man's greatest treasure becomes the eyeglasses of his life. Everything in life is observed either in favor of or against that treasure. For Paul (and Christians), it was the Lord. Consequently, he greatly rejoiced in the Lord for them because he perceived the Lord working in them (v. 10). Additionally, the Lord led him through the ebb and flow of life - times of little means and times of abundance (v. 12). Yet, in every circumstance he learned how to be content (v. 11). The person who is not satisfied with Christ (v. 13) will inevitably seek satisfaction somewhere else, but nothing else will satisfy (Ezek. 16:28-29). Nothing on earth was meant to satisfy (Isa. 55:1-3). Only Christ can satisfy.

In Him: I can always be content in Him who strengthens me^{^[1]} is an appropriate reading of v.13. The phrase through Him should be read in Him.^{^[2]} "In Him" is a weighty phrase expressing the controlling influence of a Christian's life (Phil. 4:1, 4; Rom. 6:11; 1 Thess. 5:12). This influence is pointedly captured in Acts 17:23, in Him we live and move and exist. Our satisfaction is in Christ. This is proof that He has faithfully supplied us with grace through faith to obey (Phil. 2:13; 1 Cor. 10:13). It is to our shame if we pass by Christ and seek satisfaction anywhere else (cf. 2 Kings 1:3). We have all the reason in the world to be content with Christ, for our Savior will never leave us (v. 13; Rom. 8:37-39).

[1] Verse 13 contextually refers to contentment. The all things (πᾶς; pas) in v.13 is grammatically connected to the any (πᾶς) and every (πᾶς) circumstance in v.12. The context of v.12 is the contentment from v.11. Thus, contentment weaves through to v.13 rendering it: I can always be content in Him who strengthens me.

[2] The Greek preposition ἐν (en) is regularly translated in the NT with the English word "in."