4:13 | Verse T-Shirt

THE MOMENT

Paul wrote these words while imprisoned.  He had experienced having plenty and having almost nothing. He knew what it was like to be well fed and to be hungry.  And he says he had learned how to live through all of it. What comes next isn't written from a place where everything is going right. It's written by someone who had discovered where his strength came from when it wasn't.

LOOK CLOSER

The Greek word translated “I can do” is ischyō.  It carries the idea of having strength, being able, or having the resources to face something.  The focus isn't unlimited achievement.  It's strength for whatever circumstance Paul finds himself in.

IF SOMEONE ASKS…

You don't need a perfect explanation. Maybe this verse matters to you because…

• You need strength for something you didn't choose.
• You love that these words came from someone who knew both abundance and need.
• It reminds you that strength doesn't always mean changing your circumstances.
• You're learning that getting through something can be just as meaningful as accomplishing something.
• Sometimes you need the reminder that you don't have to create all the strength you need on your own.

Or maybe your reason is entirely your own.

THE VERSE

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