Have you ever heard the verse “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”? It’s a pretty popular one. It shows up on bumper stickers, t-shirts, and Facebook posts all the time.  

This project is killing me…but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!  

Things are so busy right now with the kids’ soccer, the new house being built, and little Joey’s piano lessons…how am I going to handle it all!?!? And then the comment from a friend: You can do all things through Him who gives you strength…remember that!  

But how far can we take this? Is it just spiritual jargon or does it translate to the physical world? Like, if I wanted to fly…would Jesus give me the strength to do that if I jumped off of a building? Okay, okay — maybe I’m taking this too far. But seriously, what about the strength to do things I got myself into that Jesus has no hand in? He didn’t tell me to do it; I didn’t even ask Him… Do I get His strength for that stuff? 

Let’s look at it. It’s in Philippians 4, verse 13. But the problem is that there’s a lot written before this verse (3 chapters and 12 verses to be exact). And it’s a letter. So, when you get a letter from someone you love, how do you read it? Do you pick and choose sentences at random? Of course not. This letter wasn’t meant to be read like that either.  

The verse in question is at the end of a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. It’s this awesome letter that talks about thanksgiving, prayer, humility in Christ, the power of Christ at work in us, what it means to press on despite our struggles and trials, and more. It’s the most intimate and personal of the Apostle Paul’s letters and it’s full of powerful passages and deep concepts. If you haven’t in a while, you should read it. It’s only 4 chapters. It’ll help you better understand the over-quoted verse in 4:13. 

In chapter 4, Paul is starting to wrap things up and really has just 2 more things he wants to say. First, he wants to thank them. And then he wants to leave them with one last thought… contentment. He wants them to think “Am I content with what I have? Or am I always wanting more, needing more, buying more?” “Am I content?” 

Verse 10 starts, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need… (v. 10-11). What? Wait a second…you’re not in need? Are you sure, Paul? Because in other letters (other books of the Bible) you say you’re shipwrecked, beaten, in jail, and worse. What do you mean you’re not in need? In fact, we know from the beginning of this letter that he’s actually writing it from prison. He’s in chains while he writes this sentence – suffering, being beaten, struggling to survive. What do you mean you’re not in need? 

Let’s keep looking at it – Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. There’s the word. Content. He learned it. Not natural for him, but he learned that he should be content. Look at verse 12. He starts to reiterate his point over the next two sentences. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. And here’s the famous verse I mentioned earlier in verse 13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  

So, he writes that he’s learned the secret of how to face every kind of circumstance – too much to eat and not enough, overflowing with stuff and needing basic necessities, good times and bad times. He has the secret to facing life when it just stinks (you’re in the valley and everything is falling down around you) and when it’s easy (you’re on the mountaintop enjoying the view).  

What is this secret he’s talking about? Contentment. He’s talking about contentment.  

But my fear is that we don’t understand that word. Because we’ll say things like I just need to get a bigger house, then I’ll be content. Or When I get out of college, I just need to make $50,000 a year or $100,000 a year and then I’ll be content. I just need this one thing – a boat, a cabin, a girlfriend, a new TV, whatever – and then I’ll be content.  

But contentment is not contingent on what I have or don’t have.  

Isn’t that what the Apostle Paul just said? He’s content in all things – when he has needs and when he wants for nothing, when things are easy and when they’re hard, in abundance and in lack. All. Things. Contentment isn’t contingent on what I have or don’t have. And many of us have already found that out, haven’t we? I mean, if we were all honest, each of us could tell the same exact story of how years ago we thought all we needed was this thing or this much money or this level of job, but when we got whatever it was we thought we needed, we weren’t happy very long and that thing just got upgraded. 

The Apostle Paul also writes this in 2 Timothy 6 – we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (v. 7-8) 

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? When I came into this world, what did I bring with me? I’ve been in the delivery room for 3 of my kids being born. I can’t speak for me, because I don’t actually remember being born. But I do know with my kids – they came into this world with nothing. And when I die, I will take nothing with me. 

That awesome house? Not gonna make the trip. All the money I’ve saved up? Retirement? It ain’t making it. The clothes I spent so much money on? The car that I love so much? iPhone 67+? These things are not going with me! Job said it this way in Job 1:21 – Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. It doesn’t get any clearer than that, does it? Nekked in; Nekked out.  

Here's another way to say it. This time it’s Jesus. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15) That’s a good one to memorize and quote every morning. My life does not consist in the abundance of my possessions.

So, what’s that famous Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things” passage really about again? Read it one more time in it’s context: I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13) 

Verse 13 is on T-shirts and coffee cups and bookmarks and bumper stickers…it’s everywhere. It is a great verse, is it not? I mean, it just rolls off the tongue – I can do all things through him who strengthens me! But I’m afraid that many times we quote it out of context, and lose the original meaning. 

But even when it’s understood in it’s context like this, there’s a cool promise in this verse, isn’t there? Maybe you’re reading this and you’re being honest with yourself, going I always want more. I’ve spent my whole life chasing after riches; chasing after the upgrade. I’m not sure I can ever learn to be content! Or maybe you’re on the other side of things going, my life stinks and I barely have anything! I’m struggling to get by! I can’t be content with THIS!  

The promise in this verse is that with Christ strengthening you – if you lean on Him and depend on Him and not “the abundance (or lack) of your possessions” – then you can be content in all things. If you focus on Him. If you keep your eyes on Him. If you do that, you can be content. You can stop chasing after riches, status, upgrade. And if what you have doesn’t seem like much today…Christ can help you. But it’s not by finally getting the car you’ve always wanted or the job you’ve always dreamed of. No, Christ will help you by giving you a joy that has nothing to do with your circumstances.  

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” understood in its context becomes: “I can be content in all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  

And isn’t that what we’re after anyway? Aren’t we all trying to get joy? Isn’t that what we’re chasing after? Even when we go after the upgrade, isn’t it because we think we’ll feel joy when we get it? This is what Christ alone can give – a joy that surpasses circumstances. Contentment. 

Do you want that kind of joy? I do too.