Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
The context of Paul’s ‘all things’ was his experiences of being in need and living in plenty, of being hungry and well fed, and things going badly or well. He had innumerable setbacks in his journey of discipleship, but ultimately he kept on fighting for his King. He wasn’t saying he could do anything, but he was convinced that nothing was impossible if it was God’s will, and if it was being done ‘through Christ who gives me strength’.
Jonas Salk was the great doctor who pioneered polio research and eventually developed the Salk Polio Vaccine. Before he developed a vaccine for polio that finally worked, he tried 200 unsuccessful ones. Somebody once asked him: “How did it feel to fail 200 times?” “I never failed 200 times,” Salk replied. “I was taught not to use the word ‘failure’. I just discovered 200 ways how not to vaccinate for polio!”
From his experiences came the Salk Theory. He’d had to deal with a legion of critics over the years. On one occasion he made an interesting observation about the nature of criticism which seems to hold true for any person who is attempting anything of any worth: “First, people will tell you that you are wrong. Then they will tell you that you are right, but what you’re doing really isn’t important. Finally, they will admit that you are right and that what you are doing is very important; but after all, they knew it all the time.”
If you’re trying to get something significant done in your life and are deeply discouraged today, take some encouragement from both Paul and Jonas Salk. They both had ample reasons to give up and settle for less, but they were driven to keep going. As the verse above says, it is not our strength but Christ’s. Salk didn’t sulk, and neither should we!
Lord, I choose to persevere today, to live and work and do all things ‘through Christ who gives me strength’. Amen!
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