Hey Advent Family,
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13
There it was, scrawled in giant black letters across my gym’s wall: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”. After jogging a few miles on the treadmill, staring at that verse, I don’t think I have ever doubted scripture so much in my life. I hate jogging. I do it for my health, but ironically, it feels more like a near-death experience than an uplifting workout. After mile 3 or 4, I become convinced that jogging was not what Paul had in mind when he wrote these words. I can do all things through Christ, except jog a marathon. I believe in miracles, and it would take an act of God to get me to that finish line.
Ironically, Paul’s point was that he had learned how to be content in all seasons of his life. Whether it is hardship or plenty, good times or bad, Paul’s perspective was that no matter where he was, or what he was facing, God would carry him through. Looking back to those many miles on the treadmill, I can honestly say that I survived every one of them – God did carry me through. There is quite a lot of wisdom in Paul’s words.
Life has a way of unsettling us sometimes. When things are going great, we don’t have much of a care in the world, but as soon as things get stormy, fear, doubt, and confusion can consume us. What peace we thought we had drains, and the chaos of life throws us in all sorts of bad places. Paul understood that we can have peace, even in the most difficult of times. However, this kind of peace can’t come from the situations we face around us. If that is true, we can be robbed of it as soon as our circumstances change. Instead, true peace comes from knowing who is in control of the situation that we are in. If we know that God is with us, then we know that the storms can only frighten us – but do little else. Much like the disciples, when they feared for their lives during the sudden storm on the sea. Jesus can calm those waters in an instant – but His rebuke of them in that moment was that He didn’t have to calm them at all. They were always safe, but lost sight of that truth.
I don’t know what kind of things you are facing today that may be testing your strength. Perhaps you are in the middle of a storm or feel so worn out as if you’ve jogged 100 miles, whatever the case may be, there can be peace in the midst of chaos. If this is you today, I want to encourage you to take a breath, close your eyes, and pray that God would grant you the peace you need for today. Paul understood that our perspective only changes when we look for where God is at work. It is the strength of God that carries us through, not our own. When we realize that it is God who will care for us, and not our own strength, peace comes. The pressure isn’t on us anymore, but Him. That is why we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us – because it is done through Him.
Pastor Patrick