"I Can Do All Things..."—But How?

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

It's one of the most quoted verses in Scripture.

We write it in graduation cards. We declare it before interviews. We speak it over new opportunities and difficult seasons.

But recently, the Holy Spirit gently challenged me to slow down.

Many of us stop at:

"I can do all things through Christ..."

But the verse doesn't stop there.

It says:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

The question isn't simply, "What can I do?"

The deeper question is:

Where is my strength coming from?

Because if Christ is the One who strengthens me, then my confidence isn't rooted in my own ability, experience or resilience. My confidence is rooted in Him.

That led me to think about the many places throughout Scripture where God speaks about strength.

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:31)

"Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'" (Joel 3:10)

A beautiful thread runs through each of these verses.

God doesn't merely tell us to be strong.

He tells us where strength is found.

And perhaps that's why waiting is so important.

Waiting on God is never passive.

Biblical waiting isn't simply watching the clock until life changes.

Waiting is worship. Waiting is trusting. Waiting is praying. Waiting is serving. Waiting is studying His Word. Waiting is praising Him before the breakthrough arrives.

Sometimes we're waiting while complaining.

Sometimes we're waiting while comparing.

Sometimes we're waiting while trying to take control.

But Isaiah paints a different picture.

Those who wait on the Lord don't lose strength.

They renew it.

Maybe that's why so many worship songs remind us:

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord."

The waiting isn't wasted.

It's where God often forms the strength we'll need for what comes next.

So today, instead of only asking God to change your circumstances, perhaps ask Him to strengthen you within them.

Because when Christ is your strength, your waiting becomes worship, your weakness becomes dependence, and your dependence becomes the place where His power is made perfect.

May we not simply say, "I can do all things."

May we remember the One who strengthens us to do them.

OZ x