I can do all things through Christ: Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13) is probably one of the best-known verses in the Bible. It appears on T-shirts, tattoos, sports posters and phone wallpapers. But it is often quoted out of context, as if it were a promise that we can achieve any goal we set ourselves. Its true meaning is deeper and more useful for real life. Paul is not talking about winning matches or achieving success, but about something he learned in prisons and in need: the secret of being content in any circumstance thanks to Christ’s strength. In this article we will look at the context of the verse, what “I have learned” means, how contentment is learned and how to live this truth today.

The context: a letter from prison

Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while in prison, probably in Rome, not knowing whether he would be released or executed (Philippians 1:20-23). The church at Philippi, which he loved dearly, had sent him a gift to help in his need. At the end of the letter Paul thanks them, but he wants them to understand something important: his joy does not depend on circumstances. So he writes:

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
Philippians 4:11-12

And then comes the famous sentence: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” In context, that “all things” refers to facing any situation —having much or little, being full or hungry— without losing peace or faith.

“I have learned”

Perhaps the most important word in the passage is “learned”. Paul was not born content. It is not a natural temperament or a magic formula, but something learned. In verse 12, the phrase “I am instructed” translates a Greek verb (myeo) used for being initiated into a secret. Paul is saying, in other words: “I have discovered the secret.” And he learned that secret in the hardest school: beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, cold, prisons and persecutions (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). Read The trials of Abraham, Moses, Paul and the apostles.

This is good news: if Paul had to learn, we can learn too. Contentment is not a gift reserved for a few, but a fruit that grows over time in those who walk with Christ.

What is the secret?

The secret is not having everything we want, nor ceasing to desire, nor pretending things don’t matter to us. The secret is a Person: “through Christ which strengtheneth me”. The strength to be at peace in need and humble in plenty does not come from Paul, but from his union with Christ. Jesus had taught this with the image of the vine:

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:5

“I can do all things through Christ” and “without me ye can do nothing” are two sides of the same truth. Apart from him we can do nothing; united to him we can face whatever life brings.

Content in want

Being content when money, health or company is lacking is hard. Paul does not say need is pleasant, but that he learned to live through it in peace. That peace comes from trusting God’s care. A few verses later he writes to the same Philippians: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). And Jesus taught us not to worry about tomorrow, because the Father who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies cares far more for his children (Matthew 6:25-34).

Contentment in want does not mean passive resignation. Paul worked with his hands making tents to support himself (Acts 18:3), and gratefully accepted help from fellow believers. We can look for work, ask for help, manage wisely and at the same time have a heart at peace. Read The Lord and money.

Content in plenty

Paul also says he knows how “to abound”. This is less obvious, but just as important. Abundance has its own temptations: pride, self-sufficiency, greed, forgetting God. Moses warned Israel that when they prospered in the promised land they should not forget the Lord or say: “My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:17). Being content in plenty means acknowledging that everything comes from God, being generous and not setting our hearts on riches. Paul advises:

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8

Misuses of the verse

Philippians 4:13 does not promise that we will win every competition, get any job we want, become rich or never fail. Nor is it a phrase to justify reckless decisions or goals that have nothing to do with God’s will. Using it that way can lead to frustration when things don’t go as we want, and even to thinking that God failed us. Rather, the verse is a promise for the moments when we don’t win, don’t get what we want or lose what we had: even then, Christ gives us strength to carry on in faith and peace.

An enemy of contentment: comparison

In the age of social media, one of the greatest threats to contentment is constant comparison. We see the edited lives of others and feel ours is not enough. The Bible invites us to look in another direction: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). The foundation of contentment is not what we have, but Whom we have. If God is with us, we have what matters most.

How to learn contentment

Give thanks every day. Just before this passage Paul wrote: “in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Gratitude trains the heart to see what God has already given. Bring your anxieties to God. God’s peace guards the heart (Philippians 4:7). Fill your mind with what is good. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Abide in Christ. Prayer and the Word keep us joined to the vine. Be generous. The Philippians, who were not rich, gave to Paul, and God promised to supply their needs. Limit comparison. Cut back on what feeds envy and the constant desire for more. Remember what God has already done. Paul had seen God’s faithfulness at every stage; you too can remember.

Strengthened for every circumstance

This truth applies to every area of life. In illness, Christ strengthens us to endure with hope. When a job is lost, he gives us peace while we look for another. In loneliness, he accompanies us. In success, he keeps us humble. In service, he gives us energy when ours runs out. In temptation, he gives us the way out. Read Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and What the Bible says about tribulations.

Testimonies of contentment

Throughout history, many believers have lived this secret in extreme circumstances. Fanny Crosby, blinded as a baby, wrote thousands of joyful hymns and said she would not change her condition if it meant losing the hope that the first face she would see would be her Saviour’s. Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie thanked God even for the fleas in their barracks in a concentration camp, because thanks to them the guards stayed out and they could read the Bible with the other prisoners. And in so many humble families in our countries there are men and women who, with very little, live grateful and generous lives. Their witness confirms that contentment does not depend on what we have, but on who holds us.

You too can begin this school of contentment today, one day at a time, holding Christ’s hand.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I have said many times that I can do all things through you, almost always to ask that things turn out the way I want. Today I understand that Paul wrote it in chains, hungry, not knowing whether he would live. And he was at peace. I am not at peace. I compare myself, I complain, I live waiting for something to change so that I can be content. Forgive me. I want to learn that secret, and I know it is not learned overnight. Come, Holy Spirit, inner Teacher, and teach me slowly: to give thanks when there is little, not to forget you when there is much, not to measure my life by what others have. Let my joy not hang on circumstances, but be fastened to you. Without you I can do nothing; with you I can go through whatever comes, plenty and want, health and sickness. You are my contentment. You are enough for me, Lord. Amen.