Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
This verse has been quoted by many people in reference to doing the impossible they wanted to accomplish. A few verses that lead to verse 13 paints a different picture, and leads us to understand it’s proper application if we were to use it. Listen to Paul’s words vs. 11-13, “Not that I speak in regards to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. If you look at this scripture carefully you see a lot of learning and surviving that causes Paul to be victorious in the end. He looks at all he had been through and was still standing and he knows it has nothing to do with him but Christ, he confidently says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” His confidence was not in his ability, but God’s.
I believe that the greater thing you can do through Christ who strengthens you is what you can survive. When you can be content with the little and trust God right where you are, be calm while others are freaking out; learn to be full and be hungry, learn to keep your coolness under frustrations, learning to share the little you have, learning to let go of things others struggle to hold on to. In short being able to deal, to stand, and be comfortable right where you are and not allow the challenges to destroy you because of Him who strengthens you. You and I can stand on this promise, I can do (go through) all things through Christ who strengthens me. Greater testimony comes from what you have survived, not what you have achieved. What you have survived has a lot to teach compared to what you have achieved. I am more grateful for the things I have survived for they were eye opening and they brought out the best in me cause I realized that if I can go through this and come out victoriously, I can go through something else because that same God who was with me when I went through it, is the same God who will be with me when I go through this. Patience, character, integrity among others are best learnt in trying times.
I know we quote this scripture many times based on what we want to do; I would like to quote it based on what we can withstand through Him. I can imagine Paul writing this line because of what he had survived and will survive.
How I pray that just like Paul we will learn how to deal with different situations and circumstances that we may confidently quote Phil 4:13. Blessings, Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 