I Can't Do All Things

You can do anything you put your mind to. Whatever you want to do, do it with all your effort and you will succeed. You can do all things. This is the thinking we feed our children, so we as adults feel like failures when we do not succeed.

When I was in middle school and beginning of high school, I participated in wrestling. I was not the best or the worst at the sport. My last two years in the sport all I wanted to do was get a metal in one of the tournaments. The closest I ever got was the semi-finals; I never got to the finals. I could not make it to the finals even for third place.

No matter now much effort I put into wrestling, I was always average. I felt like a failure every time I did not make it to the finals. No matter how hard I tried I could not make it.

Also when I was in school, D’s were not acceptable on my report card. I hated bringing the report card home. I always had lower grades then my little brother, and usually lower grades then my older brother. Every time I had a “D” it was like I had committed the biggest sin, and I was letting God down by not using the brain He gave me.

Spanish was so hard for me. I usually got a “D” in Spanish. Everyday I would go home and do all my Spanish homework, which usually took two hours. After finishing my homework I would go through my flashcards for another hour or so. No matter how hard I tried the highest grade I could get in Spanish class was a “C”.

I found out quick in life, I cannot do everything I want to do and succeed at it. I mean look at some of the people that try out for American Idol. They think they will be the next singer that we will enjoy listening to. Sure some we might enjoy listening to, if we need a laugh. Most people are reaching for a goal they will never reach.

“But the bible says in Philippians 4, that I can do all things.” Aren’t we forgetting the second part? Let me make my point another way: Adam and Eve wanted to be equals with God, Genesis 3, could they? Cain was angry with his brother and thought he could get away with murder, Genesis 4, did he? A group of people thought they could construct a great city that reaches to the sky, Genesis 11, did they? In Joshua a man named Acham tried to keep some things God forbid the Israelites to keep, Joshua 7, did succeed in his plan? All these questions answer with a big No.

The other side looks like this: Noah was told to build an enormous boat and get a bunch of animals on it, Genesis 6-9, did he succeed? Abraham is promised a son even though he is pretty old, Genesis 15 & 21, does this happen? Jacob seeks to make peace with his brother Esau, even though Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, Genesis 27 & 33, does Jacob succeed in repairing his relationship with his brother? Joseph is boastful about a dream he receives and is sold into slavery, Genesis 37 & 42-50, does his dream come true? Moses and Aaron are sent to deliver a large community of people out of slavery, Exodus 3-14, do they succeed? Moses is told to lead the Israelites to the promise land, Exodus 3 – Deuteronomy 34, does he succeed? All of those answer with a big Yes. But what makes these so different? God

When we peruse our own selfish ambitions, we sometimes will fail. When we peruse God given purpose, we succeed every time, so long as we keep our focus right.

Paul does say, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Where does Paul get his strength in Philippians 4:13, through Christ. So first of al to “do everything” you need strength through Christ. Paul is also at this point in prison, thanking the Philippians for their gifts to him. He is informing the Philippians that he does not have that much to his name, Philippians 4:11-12, but through Christ he receives the strength to do everything, God would have him do. In this instance one could assume that Paul is talking about struggles, and that we could over come any struggle because Christ will give us the strength. One could also say that Paul is talking about accomplishments in general. We can accomplish anything through Christ who gives us strength.