I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Today’s Scripture: Philippians 4:13, NKJV- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

We love the hope and promise of Phil. 4:13 don’t we? If we believe we can do all things through Christ, why do we turn back to our own strength and efforts?

I have a vivid memory from my high school days that has never left me. I was facing the county championship race that afternoon and I recall a confidence that came over me in the shower that morning. I was talking to God and said, I am going to run as fast and as far of those 440 yards as I can and then I am going to hand it off to You.

I felt surprised to think I could possibly win. It has been over forty-six years since that day, and I can still feel the relaxing of my body when I entered the last curve where I usually ran out of gas, I said, seemingly out loud, “Ok Lord, I have taken this as far as I can and now I am handing this race over to you.”

I can still see the moment I hugged the coach standing just past the finish line that “we” had done it. God did it, we won! Because of this experience I still believe we can do as much as we can but when we get to the point of exhausting our efforts we can relax and trust God to complete our race.

He will not run our race for us, but His strength determines how we finish. We do not need to wait until we are exhausted to believe in Christ’s strength. I have also experienced that one of the biggest challenges in my life is that I have also been guilty of turning things over to the Lord only to take them back at the next turn. Those events have not been as successful.

In my prayer time this morning I was experiencing an overwhelming joy as the Spirit of the Lord was praising God in a trembling that I could not contain and I caught myself interrupting the groanings of the Spirit with my own words. I had to stop myself from hijacking the prayers of the Spirit. I had to trust what the Spirit was doing.

After my quiet time I read Philippians 4:10, where Paul said he rejoiced greatly in the Lord. I knew I had just experienced what rejoicing greatly means and feels like.

This is why I write to share my stories. It is my prayer that others experience the joy I have come to know. Wherever we are in our race we can turn our trust over to the Lord and feel the peace and joy of running with His strength.

As Paul promised in Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) When we turn all our needs over to God we do experience the riches of His glory in Jesus Christ.

Will you trust Jesus’ strength to finish your race today?

Today’s Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Gift of Jesus Christ. Thank You for His life and death that give us strength. Forgive me for when I turn to my flesh for strength. Help me to stay true to You. With thanksgiving and rejoicing in my heart I am asking You to keep me forever mindful that You take care of all my needs. Amen