Dead End Desperation Week 5: Saturday

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

I must confess I like being in control. Don’t you? Many of us fight throughout our entire lives to have control. We save to plan for the future or in case of an emergency. We eat healthily and exercise to control our health both now and in the future. We even have been known to stock up and hoard toilet paper when we heard that there was a shortage. These are just a few things we do to hold on to control over our lives and our families’ lives. These things are not necessarily bad, but they can give us a false sense of security and control. The truth is that God controls our circumstances, and we are not. There is something we can always control, however, and that is our attitudes through anything we face. 

The apostle Paul understood that although he could not control his circumstances, he was in charge of his attitude. He could decide how to respond to everything he faced, the good, bad, and everything in between. He wrote about it in Philippians 4. In this chapter, Paul thanked readers for being concerned about him. He wrote this book while in prison to share the gospel. As he wrote to readers, he said, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have” (verse 11). He continued, saying, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (verses 12-13). Paul had an attitude of contentment through every situation. What was his secret? His secret was Christ in Him. 

 The secret of contentment for Paul is the same for us: we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us. We can face even the most difficult circumstances because of Christ. If we lean into Him, we can have peace, joy, hope, and more during whatever we face. We cannot control our circumstances but choose how to respond.

Moving toward action

What difficult circumstance are you currently facing? Maybe you are facing financial difficulty or a relationship struggle. Maybe you are facing a battle with your health. Whatever it is, take some time to evaluate your attitude. How has your attitude been as you have faced your difficulty? Is there room for improvement? Of course, this does not take away from the disappointment or devastation you are facing, but it offers you an opportunity to respond well, even through the most difficult trial.

Going Deeper

Philippians 4:10-20 (NLT)