“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength…”

If you’re reading this blog right now, you’ve probably heard this quoted before, or maybe even quoted it yourself. Usually, people use this verse in times when they’re facing something difficult or trying to accomplish something really hard. But have you ever thought about the significance of the word “all”?

Recently, I’ve been running more often and almost every time I step on the treadmill I find myself quoting Philippians 4:13. But something stuck out to me the other day when I said this verse out loud. The word “all”. Sometimes I think we can lose the significance of that word here. All means ALL. It means the things that we think are hard…but also the things that we feel like come easily to us. I’m not intentionally bursting your bubble, but, if you’ve never thought about this, I think I might be about to. Everything (all) that you can do, is because of Jesus, because everything leads back to Him.

He knew you before you were even in your mother’s womb. He created your brain to think, your legs to move, and your brain to tell your legs to move. He created your bones to grow and your muscles to build strength. He created everything about you. Do you realize you couldn’t even lift a Q-tip without him? As funny as that sounds, it’s 100% the truth. All the things you can do, the things you think you’re good at, or know you’re good at, are actually just because He’s good. It’s His strength moving through your body.

John 15:5 says “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

This verse has been on my mind a lot lately, because I feel like there is something new every day that I am telling Jesus I have no clue how to do. That HE is going to have to help me and be my strength in. Something I’ve found is that just like a good daddy loves to carry you around on his back when you’re young, our heavenly Papa loves to carry us through this life. He just wants us to jump on and trust him.

He won’t drop you! I said He won’t drop you! 

This reminds me of a time in my own life, when I remember it being SO clear that He was my strength and He was carrying me through life.

I was backup dancing at the time and we were getting ready for another tour. I remind you, I’m a HIP-HOP dancer…that is it! Ha! That is the extent of my training. I found out we would be doing a contemporary piece, and my first thought was, “you know I’m a hip-hop dancer, right?”  But I remember The Lord almost shutting my mouth in that moment and reminding me that without him, I was nothing, and could do nothing—but WITH Him, I could do all things.  

So, a couple full day rehearsals and tour rehearsals had passed, and it was the first night of tour…and I was SICK! I didn’t feel well at all. I felt so weak and like all my strength was gone. I remember being so upset and crying about the fact that it was our first show, and how in the world am I going to do this dance? Not only because it’s not a style I’m used to, but now I’m sick too? I was thinking, “What If I fall? This dance has lifts and turns and jumps! Yeah…I’m destined to fall on my face!”

But when I took my eyes off my weakness and looked toward Him, He showed me His strength. He reminded me once again, “Laney, without me, you can do nothing. But with me, you can do all things. I. Won’t. Drop. You.”

That night, I remember dancing like I never had before, because I truly don’t believe it was me dancing. It was literally like my Papa was carrying me through the dance. I felt a supernatural strength that I knew could not have been my own. The lifts were better than I think we had ever done them, because I truly saw that HE was lifting me up off the ground and above my weakness. He showed His strength when I realized and acknowledged I had none without Him. 

I feel like the more this becomes a realization to me, the more I’m able to see His strength in my whole life. To see the times He has carried me, when I know I couldn’t carry myself or have the strength to take another step. He has always been there to hold me and to lead me through this life. I believe my life is a story that shows his strength. Without him, I’m weak, I’m broken, I’m tired, I’m empty, I’m lonely, I’m needy, I’m hungry and I’m thirsty. But he has shown me and continues to show me every single day, that he alone is my strength and my answer to all things in this life.

“Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

~ Isaiah 46:4