“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
There are some verses that become popular and are regularly seen on public display. We see them on t-shirts, bumper stickers, dish towels, and wall art. Sounds like a worthy use of a verse, right? To display it where it can be seen and be an available reminder of its truth? The downside to the excessive display of a verse without teaching the meaning of the verse is that in our minds, when we hear or see that verse, we no longer bring to the forefront of our mind the powerful Truth it holds. Rather, there is little, if any, meaning associated with it anymore – it has become a powerless affirmation.
One of the most commonly seen verses on public display is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
It is easy to take this verse and apply it to ourselves in whatever manner we want. Having a rough day? I can do all things through Christ…. Having your patience tried by a child or loved one? I can do all things through Christ… Struggling to stick to the new diet and workout plan? I can do all things through Christ… Dealing with an unpleasant person and trying to hold your tongue? I can do all things through Christ…
Except for one little bitty problem. Verses have context. Without the context in which the verse was written, you don’t have the full meaning of the verse. Generally speaking, you can find the context of a verse by reading the three verses before and after it. What story is being told? What point is being made? Where does this verse fit within that dialogue? All of this informs the true meaning of the verse.
Philippians 4:13 is a perfect example of context making a difference in the meaning of the verse. Which is important! Without knowing the meaning of the verse, the Truth it contains, how can we correctly apply it to our lives? The Bible is not a book full of trivial affirmations. It is the living Word of God!
In context, Paul was writing to the Philippian church, acknowledging that they were doing well in caring for his needs. Verse 10 says: “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.” He was a traveling missionary who was being supported by the church where he was staying. They were likely providing a place for him to stay, his meals, and other needs he would have had at the time. Not all generosity is created equal, and he is letting them know that they were doing excellently in caring for him.
After telling the church they were doing well in caring for him, he clarifies his position by explaining that he has learned to be content no matter how much or how little he has. He is talking about resources: money, possessions, and even basic necessities such as food. We can see this in verses 11 & 12: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Paul is using this moment to teach the Philippian church to be content when they have many possessions and want for nothing, and to be content when they only have a few possessions and are in need. He is telling them that for himself, he learned to be content with whatever he has at the time.
What a great lesson! We should be grateful for what we have today. Sometimes that is hard! Sometimes we can see good things coming and want to rush through life to get to them. Sometimes we have everything we could possibly need, and yet we get restless and discontent and find ourselves wishing for different things than what we have today. Retail therapy is a common solution to losing our ability to be content with what we have now. Perhaps we should follow Paul’s example and be content with what we have today, whether it be much or little.
Paul’s conclusion to this explanation that whether his needs were being amply met or scarcely met, he would be content is to give the credit and glory to God for giving him the strength to remain content in every circumstance. That’s where verse 13 comes in: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Contextually, there is a progression to the dialogue that should not be ignored. First, Paul tells the Philippian church they are doing very well in caring for his needs. Second, he explains that he has learned to be content in every circumstance, whether he has much or little to meet his needs. Third, he summarizes how he is able to be content by giving the credit where it belongs, to God. Verse 13 is the icing on the cake for Paul’s explanation for how to be content: God gave him the strength to be content in every circumstance he faced. That is the correct application of this verse for Christians today. It’s not an affirmation to be thrown at our frustrations, it is a very real lesson that God will give us the strength to be content in today’s circumstance.
