Jesus is the Strong One 

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
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​Is there any kind of struggle or event that you do not think that you could handle?  It is interesting to ponder for a moment.  What if we had to leave our communities because of persecution against our faith?  What if we were falsely accused of a crime and put in prison?  Are we capable of handling the struggles of life? Don’t spend too much time pondering what might happen, but be encouraged to look to Jesus who gives daily strength to overcome such trials. 

One of the ways Christian athletes display their faith is by recording verses on equipment.  Many baseball players have written Philippians 4:13 on the underside of the brim of their caps.  Perhaps this indicates their belief that they can drive the ball out of the park, even if they haven’t done so in their career, or some other amazing feat.  The verse often seems to be interpreted in such a way as to expect the miraculous event.  It seems to me however, that this hope of the miraculous event (even though all things are possible through God) often doesn’t happen.  The context of the writing suggests that Paul was attempting to convey the message of contentment, knowing that we often cannot change the situation that we might be in.  If we learn to rely on Jesus as Paul did, our message will be one that says, “I will be just fine even if I don’t hit the homerun to win the game”; even though the crowd, teammates, coaches, and maybe even parents are REALLY hoping that I do.  The message that Paul writes is one of finding contentment in knowing and trusting in Jesus Christ no matter what is happening in our life.  This covers all areas of life from athletic competition, physical health, financial issues, relational struggles, employment, etc.
Being content in all situations seems difficult but even as Paul writes in verse 12 ….”I have learned the secret of being content” .. we, just like Paul are somewhere in that learning process of finding contentment that is not based on possessions or how full our bellies are, etc, etc. 
            I encourage you Brothers and Sisters that as you face things this week, to remember that “We can do all things through Him who gives us strength.”
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