Such a time as this
After Pastor Prince mentioned this verse that day:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
- Philippians 4: 13
I actually haven't been able to get it out of my head, and I realised that there was a big difference between -
'I can do all things', and 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'
The first concentrates all the effort on yourself - you consistently telling yourself that 'yes, I can do this, I can do this', motivating yourself through the sheer belief that you can do it by yourself and that you have the capability to. But the second sentences differs entirely - it draws the focus to Jesus, to the One and only One who can actually do all things, and there is hardly any you inside; it's just you as the person whom Christ is working through.
I've had this analogy in my head for a while now: we're simply lightbulbs, glass and transparent, while Jesus is the filament within. He's the one who shines, and we're simply the glass that Jesus shines through. If we focus more on ourselves the filament grows dimmer, and the resulting light that is produced is lesser.
Just, y'know, food for thought. Okay, off to watch House Season 6. :)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
- Philippians 4: 13
I actually haven't been able to get it out of my head, and I realised that there was a big difference between -
'I can do all things', and 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'
The first concentrates all the effort on yourself - you consistently telling yourself that 'yes, I can do this, I can do this', motivating yourself through the sheer belief that you can do it by yourself and that you have the capability to. But the second sentences differs entirely - it draws the focus to Jesus, to the One and only One who can actually do all things, and there is hardly any you inside; it's just you as the person whom Christ is working through.
I've had this analogy in my head for a while now: we're simply lightbulbs, glass and transparent, while Jesus is the filament within. He's the one who shines, and we're simply the glass that Jesus shines through. If we focus more on ourselves the filament grows dimmer, and the resulting light that is produced is lesser.
Just, y'know, food for thought. Okay, off to watch House Season 6. :)