Philippians 4:13 is the tried-and-true go-to verse for consolation and hope regardless of one's circumstances. However, the focus always seems to end up on the first five words: "I can do all things." Yeah, that IS what the verse says, but that is really not the point. Without the following five words: "through Christ who strengthens me," the first five would be impossible.
As a society that is super "me" centered and all for self-expression and self-improvement, once we hear "I can do all things" we get pumped to conquer whatever our current obstacle may be and we move on. In the process, we may look to God for our strength and endurance, but in the end we will boast about our abilities, talents and accomplishments - because I CAN DO ALL THINGS!
Are you seeing the issue here? We are turning to God behind the scenes, then giving him no credit as we take our final bow. In doing this, I know for a fact that we are missing the full point of this verse. We rely solely on the grace and strength of our Father in Heaven. Without this everlasting strength, without even the hint of His breath in our lungs, we would be nonexistent. We physically can do nothing, especially in furthering His kingdom, without Him moving through us.
Some people may not agree with this concept, which is fine; however, I believe wholeheartedly that God can and will move through me as He pleases. I am not the first to point towards Heaven every time I do well on a test or every time I am praised for a story I wrote - but I know for a fact that this mindset is the one I am striving for.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is my sorority" family verse" (Shout out to Sigma Alpha Omega), so I have many items sporting Philippians 4:13. During my first full year as a sister, I have seen this verse so many times that I could not help but to ponder on its true meaning and, consequently, how most people apply it to their lives (myself included).
Today, as I continue to make mistakes and bad decisions, I will keep in mind that I stand on God as I do so. This brings me a mixture of shame and hope - shame in that God is aware of the thoughts I have (both those I act upon and those I do not) and hope in that it is with His strength that I can bring my focus back to His presence. It is my thought and prayer today that we could all remember that God does not give us god-sized aspirations and expect us to accomplish them with man-sized power. God gives us His strength to accomplish His tasks. (*I either read or heard this last part somewhere and I paraphrased it)
