MIGHTY

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"  Philippians 4:13.

I grew up knowing this verse, just the same as you did!  I always thought of this as my "Mighty Verse"...  even sometimes picturing Mighty Mouse... Strong and Able!  (cue the trumpet sounds)  I can do ALL things... not just a few things... but ALL things!

When I think of this MIGHTY verse... I think of MIGHTY King David...  and how he did "ALL THINGS" with a slingshot!  And how he forgave Saul repeatedly despite his repeated attacks (I really need to write another blog on what the Lord is showing me about David!)...  You know... MIGHTY STUFF!  The kind of thing you need a MIGHTY prayer like this for!  Forgiveness when 'EVERYONE' would understand if you didn't want to, but knowing what the Lord has Called you to!

Mighty BIG Stuff!

But....  have you ever ACTUALLY read the context?????  I challenge you to pick up your Bible and READ THE CONTEXT!  Read verses 10-12.  The context is regarding CONTENTMENT!  Paul writes: I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I know what it's like to  live with plenty and what it's like to be in need.  No matter the situation, whether well fed or Hungry, whether living in plenty or in want...  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

Seriously???  Contentment?!?  Not anything MIGHTY?  Like 'allow me (Paul) to forgive these jailers and torturers who hold me'... Not 'let me be Strong with this Thorn in the flesh.'  Not 'let me use the Power of the Spirit to perform miracles or healing so others will believe?'  Paul writes NOT about a 'Mighty' thing for which he needs strength... but Contentment.

OR.........  Maybe......... The Spirit of Contentment IS a MIGHTY thing!  Have you ever struggled here?  I know I have... ummm...  do... will...  

Do we ever really call upon the Lord to give us a MIGHTY POWER over Contentment??  I don't.  I should.  I better START!  If Paul needed the Power of the Lord to give him contentment... then we should all pray that way too!

You know......  (thinking as I'm typing)....  

Maybe Contentment is the New Testament way to say the Old Testament Promise of BE STILL!   Almost as if Jesus is saying: "BE Content... Stop PUSHING All the time... Let Me do My work... I got this!"  

Does BEING STILL require a "MIGHTY VERSE"?????????  

.......... for me it CERTAINLY does.........

Hope

...waiting... hoping... yearning...

I'm not very good at being patient.... unless the future is guaranteed!  Are you like that??
I can be patient to a point... like waiting for Friday... or waiting for Christmas...  Something that is Guaranteed to happen!  *yes, over-analyzers... I know it's not 'technically' guaranteed!

BUT I don't do so well if there is a "maybe" in there...  

I guess this is why I was SO very encouraged by my study in 2 Thessalonians.  
They were commended by Paul to have GREAT Love and Faith despite very discouraging persecution in his first letter to them.  They were really "doing it" and doing it VERY WELL!  They were hanging in there... they were being patient... KNOWING that Paul had reassured them that Jesus was COMING BACK to get them... and they would have an "end" to this torment!

Well...  they got some bad information... (for me... insert "Doubt" or "Discouraging News")... 
Someone had told them that Jesus had ALREADY come... and so their HOPE in the future was BASHED....  poor souls.....  here they were PATIENTLY ENDURING massive persecution in a time of great turmoil... and someone cut in on them and cut off their GREATEST JOY and HOPE!  It is believed they received a false letter with BAD information and signed by (supposedly) Paul.

I can imagine Paul coming OUT OF HIS SKIN when he heard this... the very group of people that were really ROCKING it for Jesus... just had the LIFE kicked out of them...  I can see him almost SCREAMING "NO!"  I can see him grab up that paper and start writing like crazy... not sleeping... not eating... not even hardly breathing until he could straighten out the mess.  

In Chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes v2 "don't become easily unsettled or alarmed" by bad news!!  HOLD to the TRUTH that I told you....  and v15 "stand firm and hold to our teachings" and then v16's beautiful benediction "May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His Grace gave us Eternal Encouragement and Good Hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

BUT... he doesn't end there....  he also says "STAY BUSY!"  Keep on Keeping on!

I think that is when I have the most trouble with waiting... when I'm not busy... 
When I'm busy with paperwork or projects to get ready for something... I'm good!  It's the STILLNESS of waiting that is so hard.  I don't think Paul would put this section in here if they weren't having some of the same problems!  If it wasn't for THEM being idle... but maybe others around them...  You all know what it's like to be working in an office environment with others who AREN'T BUSY ENOUGH...  (I'll just leave that alone...)  

But in my life... be it our adoptions, pregnancy, moving, ministry... etc...  I don't do well when I'm STILL!

SO... for today... to encourage my heart and to renew my HOPE for what has been Promised...  I SHALL PACK... or clean or organize... for 'tomorrow' we are going to BRAZIL!!!!!