Faithfully Thinking: I can’t do it on my own

Things have been heavy lately in my life. Heavy. Heavy.

Deaths of those we love.

Threats to the safety of our children.

Impending surgeries for someone way too young.

Overwhelming medical diagnoses.

I can barely stand up under it all some days.

I have said more than once, “I can’t take any more.”

I’ve asked God to remove it all.

I’ve asked him to fix things.

I’ve asked for comfort when I realized some of what is happening was what happens when our earthly bodies fail us.

And I’ve said it more than once: “I can’t do this. God, please. I can’t do this.”

I can’t do it. I’m right.

I can’t do it. Not on my own.

Since I was very young my mom has spoken over me a verse that many Christians say without thinking about.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Laying in the dark of the wee hours of the morning one day I thought to myself, “I’ve been up a lot during this night, Lord. How am I going to do all that I need to do?”

I was drifting off as I thought this and the words, “I will sustain you” came into my mind.

I don’t know where that thought came from. I don’t use the word “sustain” on my own very often. Hearing it in my mind makes me truly feel that it came from a supernatural realm.

And the next day I was sustained. I was able to get through that day and many days since then after rough nights of sleep.

So often we want to do all we need to do in our life on our own. We act on our own strength.

We expect we can do it in our human strength, our human willpower. We can’t.

God made us to have a symbiotic relationship to him.

He created us to walk with him, every step of the way. Not two steps and do it on our own like a baby learning to walk.

He is with us every step of the way – all the way to the end of the race.

 He never intended for us to do it all on our own.

And we need to remember that we are never on our own or alone – that he will sustain us when we fill the most unsustainable.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:4