Faith To Help Us Overcome: Why

Why #1

Why should I Should I Believe I Cannot When God Tells Me:

I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength!
Philippians 4:13 -- Paul 

     Christ Follower have you come to a proverbial "fork in the road" where you seem to be facing an insurmountable challenge? Or a better way to ask this is have you come to a place in your life where you feel like you are facing an insurmountable challenge? I ask this the second way because it is very likely that what really "is" may not  be what "is" at all.  

     Let me explain: Challenges come, and immediate solutions do not seem easy to be found.  The evil one - or just the way you think about things - begin getting you to focus on what you do not have rather that what you do have.  Your locus of focus is on your liabilities rather than your assets. Panic, discouragement or fear start to consume your judgment and depression is not far behind. Why is this so?  It is so because you are allowing your feelings to control you as a result of your automatic negative thinking.  For every negative thought you have, their will be a painful emotion not far behind. Thereby distorting reality.

     Now think about the guy writing this passage of God's Word.  Paul had been really challenged.  Five times he had been whipped with the 39 lashes from some of his Jewish counterparts. Three times he had been beaten with rods. He was stoned (with rocks y'all not drugs) at least once. He was shipwrecked three times.  He actually spent a night and a day floating in "the deep." 

     Additionally he faced multiple dangers: He faced dangers "from rivers, " ... "from robbers," ... "from his countrymen," ... "from Gentiles," ... "in the city ... in the wilderness ... on the seas  and among false brethren." And all this was complicated by having no food, no water and sleepless nights, as well as being exposed to the freezing cold.  And, as any loving Pastor knows, he was continually feeling the pressure of providing pastoral care for the churches he and others had birthed.  They were like his children, and some of them were wayward. Some were suffering.  Some were even dying.  All of this caused him deep concern.

     In other words, he had every reason to focus on how bad his life was as he sought to serve the Lord Jesus; yet he did just the opposite.  He could have just given up; however, he lived by faith and reminded himself, you and me, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  He focused his thinking on his Creator who had allowed the circumstances of this life to bring him to this place. He focused on God's ability to "supply all his needs according to His riches in glory." He denied himself.  As a volunteer Ambassador of Christ, he took up his cross and followed Jesus.  He believed that which seemed unbelievable, and he did not let his feelings win out.  He walked by faith.

     So whatever you are facing today, live by faith in your loving Creator who knows you better than yourself.  Focus on the one who loves you more than anything you can imagine. Just try focusing NOT on your liabilities, but on the Creator's promise to give you the stuff to be enough even though life is appearing to be very tough. Turn to the  ONE who promises you, God's child, that Y-O-U  CAN do whatever you need to do in order to get through to the other side of the challenges you are facing, as you follow Christ. This has worked for me so many times over the multiple decades of my life.  It worked for Paul, and it will work for you via the power of the Almighty God who strengthens you.

So repeatedly ask the "Why" question and answer it again and again until your faith rises up in you ...

Why should I Should I Believe I Cannot When God Tells Me:

I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength!

SoJourner