I can do all things…

This is a copied and pasted version of a blog post I wrote in 7/26/17. Still seems relevant!
​“You suck at your job” “You can’t do this as good as [person A, B, C]” “Everyone has been chosen over you“…

What do all of these have in common? They’re all things that have gone through my head today. I work in a very fast paced and stressful environment. I work in middle management and while I love my comrades, often am discouraged by things that go on around me. Some days hit me harder than others, some are draining and leave me dreading the next, some days are fun. I have a great group of folks working for me and that helps. Today I came home feeling defeated and as though I’m struggling to stay above water.

Have you ever had a situation that often left you exhausted from treading the water. Leaves you exhausted from trying to make everything your own? You know, you look it in the face and immediately see the size of that mountain and just feel overwhelmed?

You know what’s funny…no matter how many times I’ve learned over the years that God is my refuge, I still struggle to remember initially that I’m not designed to fix things. I’m a fixer. I like to improve, organize, analyze, find solutions. I’m typically pretty good at it, it’s what got me into this job gig in the first place. So when I get to the end of the rope I’ve provided myself, I (more often than I’d like to admit) work myself into exhaustion attempting to find the next step.

As I sat on my couch tonight, working from home while my family sleeps, my bible app popped up with the verse of the day. I just smiled because not 5 minutes before, I’d been having the thoughts at the top of this post. My screen read: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It doesn’t say “I can do the things I’m good at as long as I keep my head above water” or “I can keep going as long as I don’t let myself fail” or “I have to be just like person A,B,C if I want to succeed.” It says I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

We often focus on that “all things” part. Yeah buddy, I can do ALL things! Woo! If we focus there, we miss the greatest part. I can do all things, yes, but “through Christ who strengthens me.” You know what that spoke to my tonight? Stop it. Stop it right now. Stop trying to make yourself succeed. Stop trying to be enough to sustain. Stop trying to make a difference at the expense of yourself. I can’t do it. I can’t do all things through the sheer will power of my stubbornness. I can only do all things through the strength of Christ.

Isn’t it great how God drops nuggets of wisdom when you’re struggling? He loves us so much. We are his babies and he cares for us. He doesn’t want me talking poorly about myself or feeling as though I’m inadequate. He sees me. He knows I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, called with a purpose. He also knows I sometimes (often times) lose sight of that. I’m so glad God doesn’t deal with me the way I deal with me. 😀