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Writer's pictureAngie Hilker

ALL THINGS

Ty Solomon Hilker


Hitting the Ground Never Hurt So Bad

I suppose it would not surprise those who know me well to find me jumping off rocks into screaming cold water or climbing up tall trees with relatively nimble branches that hardly hold one's weight. I enjoy testing my abilities, and I am seemingly curious if maybe, just maybe, I have "the force." And yes, I was indoctrinated into the Star Wars fan club from birth. Thanks dad! However, one day, I felt a strong sense of urgency to test my agile skills and decided that it might be fun to attempt to jump over a person while they were still standing up. Hey, I'm in high school; it wasn't hard to find a willing victim who would participate in such stupidity. Naturally, there was even a lineup of eager volunteers. So, I made my mark, placed my feet steady on the ground, and then bolted into a sprint across the hard floor.


Running fast, I knew it was time to launch. I felt my feet lift from the ground, and my body began to soar effortlessly through the air. Okay, maybe it was only inches from the floor, but who's counting? I could see my nearly 6--foot friend standing tall and immovable, like a statue made of stone. He was ready. The people standing by watching were ready. The teacher walking by glaring and shaking her head in disproval was...okay, maybe she wasn't ready. But I was ready, or so I thought. Unfortunately, just as I was flying like a crane over the rim of his head, I remembered that little scientific term you learned in elementary school called gravity. Suddenly, my body came crashing down, smacking me flat onto the ground. Everyone cheered. Apparently, there is something captivating about watching someone land on their face when in high school. I laughed as well until I realized I couldn't move my arm.


I mustered up every ounce of courage to get up off the ground and then proudly waved to the crowd as if this was the most amazing thing ever. However, almost immediately, when I turned the corner and no one was in view, I called Mom. After a quick drive to the doctor, it turned out that I had fractured my elbow.


You see, I thought I could do something and failed to accomplish it, even when I wholeheartedly believed that I could do it.


Philippians 4:13 says,

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

If this verse is true, then why couldn't I jump over my friend without landing on my face? How does this verse work out in our lives? Is Paul telling us to believe in ourselves or to believe that Christ empowers us to do whatever we set our minds on?


  • If I want to be superman and fly in the sky, will I be able to because "I can do all things through Christ?"


  • If I want to carry the force like a jedi, will I be able to because "I can do all things through Christ?"


  • If I want to lift up a car over my head, will I be able to because “I can do all things through Christ?”


Probably not.



So, maybe you have readily admitted that you are not SUPERMAN and that you indeed do not carry "THE FORCE". I know, this is a hard reality for some of you. But, what about being able to do "all things" in everyday moments? If I believe I can do all things through Christ, shouldn't I be able to find someone so that I can get married, have children, climb the ladder at work, be successful in a job, and make my fortune?


If some or none of these things are true, then what does this passage mean when it says that we can do "all things through Christ?”


When Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” we need to make sure we read the surrounding context of the passage.


Right before Paul says, "I can do all things...", he writes,


"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

To give a simple backdrop, when Paul wrote these words, he was sitting in prison. Knowing that he was locked away in a jail-cell and said, “I can do all things,” would make you wonder why he wasn't able to break through the chains or magically disappear? Why was he still sitting in prison?


If he couldn’t get out of prison, then the question is, can we do all things? Is this verse a promise to us?



However, what do you see that is repeated in this verse?


"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

I see the word: CONTENT.


When you see a word repeated in Scripture, it usually means to pay attention because it's important. For example, when you were a child and sick in bed, it would be safe to assume that you often called out to get your mom's attention, saying things like, "Mom, mom, mom!" Each time, it gets a little louder to indicate the significance. I am trying to emphasize something important here in this scenario, like, "please bring me something to eat and preferably from In N' Out!" I'm calling out for mom repeatedly because I am trying to get her attention. And that's what's happening in this passage. Paul is saying, "content, content, content!" repeatedly to tell us that this is the point of the passage.


So, if this word is so important, we should ask, what does the word content mean?


Contentment in Greek is arkeo, which means that we can have an internal satisfaction that does not demand changes in external circumstances. In other words, just because we are experiencing difficult things around us doesn't mean it has to change what's going on inside of us. Therefore, we can be content and have joy even when we face disappointment, failure, and heartbreak.


Paul shares that the phrase "all things" means that he will be content whether he is in prison or free, hungry or fed because Christ will strengthen him as he experiences "all" those things.


So, the Bible doesn't say that I can DO ALL THINGS through Christ as if I can do anything I want. The “all” is limited. God never promises all our earthly problems will be fixed or taken away. He doesn’t promise that in all things, I will achieve every goal and dream if I believe in God hard enough.


But instead, the Bible says that although I may not be able to do all things, I can face all things with Christ, who strengthens me. I can have joy in contentment to face anything because Christ gives me strength.


God gives this as a promise, not that we can do all things but that we have Christ as our strength in all things.


Is there something in your life that you have earnestly believed that if you did all the right things and obeyed everything that God has asked, that you would be able to have all you want?


Is that what Paul is contending for here? I don't think so. He recognizes that it's not about the ability to achieve all things: titles, accolades, money, relationships, graduating at the top of the class, or achieving great success. It's also not about lack of money, few relationships, or having no success. Remember, Paul has sat in the company of great friends and has also sat in prison with no one, yet he sees something outside his circumstances---good or challenging. He's encouraging us to see that in everything (great success or poverty), God is with us giving us His strength, which allows us to be content in all things.


If you are struggling to make friends, or you are trying to make the grade or attempting to make it in the job, or maybe you are just trying to make it out of your bed, this verse teaches us that in all things that we are going through, we can have contentment because God gives us the strength that we need to face all things.


Questions to Ponder:

  1. Think about a time you had recently, or in the past, where you thought you could do something, but you didn't end up being able to do it. How did that make you feel?

  2. How does Paul's view of contentment compare to the modern world's view of contentment?

  3. Are there times in your life where you may have felt frustrated and asked yourself, "God why aren't you answering my prayer?"

  4. Is it hard to experience contentment when you have needs? What can we do to experience contentment when facing need?

  5. In times of need, how have you been able to experience God's strength in your life?

Discuss some of these things this week with a friend, or share your own experiences by commenting in the post on facebook to encourage others.


Ty Hilker is a graduating senior and a leader of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at his public highschool. He serves on student council, works with elementary kids on reading, is a peer mentor, and ministers to middle school kids at his church every midweek. In his spare time, you will not find him writing (ha!), but most likely find him hanging with friends in the outdoors.







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