I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 ESV).
I love that verse. But when I was young in the faith, it caused me to wonder if I could really do all things through Christ’s strength.
Yet Paul wasn’t saying that we can do all things through Christ’s strength, but rather that His strength can see us through whatever we are facing.
Eugene Peterson captured this well in “The Message” (italics mine):
“I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
You may recall that after coming to Christ, Paul had a tough life:
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:24-28 ESV).
When we read that, we may be prone to ask, “How did He make it through all of that?”, and our answer should always be “Because Christ helped him to make it through.”
So, what encouragement should we draw from this?
Well, Christ can help us make it through all things. And to His glory, I might add.
And if you are doubting this, just consider again the list of things Paul went through! Shipwrecked. Adrift at Sea. Stoned. Facing constant dangers. False accusations. Hungry. Freezing. Anxious.
And Christ helped him to make it through all of them.
So, what are you facing? Work problems? Family problems? Health problems? Financial problems? Christ can see you through all of them. This doesn’t mean He is going to fix them all. Just that He will see you through each of them.
Now, if you want, you can try and muscle your way through your circumstances, but I don’t recommend it. Many of life’s circumstances are way too big for you to handle. Instead, take heed of something Paul learned, because it applies to us too.
But he (God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV).
Amen.