"You can be anything you want to be!"  This is one of the biggest misconceptions that adults often tell young people.  It's motivating to hear, exciting even, but it's not true. We all have earthly limitations, weaknesses, and limited potential.  It's a harsh reality, but it is a reality.  If you question this, I suggest that you stop by the gym later today, throw 600 lbs. onto a barbell, and try to crank out about 20 or 30 reps.  When you fail, understand that it's not your lack of faith that prevented you from succeeding.  It's a lack of physical strength combined with the law of gravity.

     In Philippians 4:13 Paul writes, "I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me."  Doesn't that mean that we can accomplish anything we want, if Jesus has our back?  The simple answer is, "no".  If this was true, Paul would never have spent a day in prison.  Instead of writing to the Philippians from a prison cell, he would have simply used his "faith" to pry open the jail cell door, so he could continue to evangelize to God's people.  The verse is stripped of its context when people use it to motivate others to "dream big, and believe that God will inevitably bless you with all of the desires of your heart."  As author Johnathan Merritt so aptly puts it, "He's not encouraging Christians to go out and conquer the world; he's reminding them that they can press on when the world conquers them."

     In the verses that precede this iconic verse, Paul writes about how to be content in every condition.  Even when we're hungry, tired, or overwhelmed, we can be content.  It's not that we can achieve anything and everything, but that the final results are something we can handle.  If, for example, a team loses a gut-wrenching regional finals volleyball match in five sets, it is possible for that team to walk away with its heads held high, and even to be in a state of contentedness.  Wow, that' s tough to fathom.  It almost takes MORE faith to believe that we can contentedly endure all things, even with Christ's help.  

     Maybe it's because, in the past, we've consistently allowed our situation to dictate our state of emotional health  (ie. we are discontent).  This happens most when we are reminded that life isn't fair, and that our best, most intentional efforts may still result in failure.  However, the contentedness is derived from the fact that Christ has DONE ALL THINGS that ultimately matter, so we don't have to.  He won, so we win, and any earthly setbacks we must endure pale in comparison to the eternal reward God's followers receive.  So, the next time you are disappointed because you didn't get the iPhone 9cc (not out yet), but instead received a pair of hideous Christmas socks that light up, remember that it's your option to be content.  Nobody said it would be easy.