Philippians 4:10-13

Philippians 4:10-13 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I doubt that I'm the only one who lives on an emotional rollercoaster.  One minute, my kids are happily playing together in the basement and the sun is shining and all is right with the world.  Within minutes, one kid is screaming while another cries while the hot water heater breaks and three things blow up at work while it starts to snow.  The stress seesaw is exhausting as we try and manage through the winds that buffet us each and every day, and we worry about the future, about our security, about our loved ones and the political scene and our health and a million other things.
  In Philippians, Paul manages to paint a beautiful picture of what a mature faith in Christ offers us.  As mentioned yesterday, Paul describes a peace that passes understanding.  Here, there is confidence in Christ to enable us to meet every challenge.  Paul describes a level-mindedness that is enviable -- in verse 12, he's telling us that he has learned how to face the emotional highs and lows with the same mindset.  Rather than vacillate between distress and joy, he resides in joy, because of his long-term vision.
  Philippians 4:13 is surely near the top of the list of Bible verses most likely to be tattooed on the human body or printed on a t-shirt.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Most importantly, it reminds me that my insecurities and weaknesses are not meant to halt my life in faith, but that the God who loves me also provides strength for me to endure, to persevere, and that God is faithful in the midst of life to bring us through everything. 
  This Bible verse doesn't present a timeline and guarantee us immediate victory over our foes -- a short Bible study of Biblical heroes will uncover plenty of despair -- and we should remember that Paul likely wrote this from prison in Rome, a prison he may well not have left with his head still on his shoulders.  So let's not limit this verse to helping us face the challenges of today.  We can do all things through Christ.  This is a big picture verse, reminding us of our strength and our salvation, that at the end of it all, when we look back at all that our life has proclaimed, we'll see and understand that it was Christ who brought us through, and it is Christ who will carry us home.