The Power of Two Words

My how I am struggling with how to begin this post.  Today has been a remarkable day, yet at the same time "one of those days", if the two can exist together, they certainly are on this day.

It has been such a long time since I have posted a blog, and I never thought that it would be, but on the flip side, I never thought I could keep it up either.  Therein is the subject of my blog.

I was writing in my prayer journal today when I started to understand some things more clearly than I have been able to ever before.  I was writing about a certain issue going on in my life and how it was affecting my thinking.  That is when I had an epiphany about myself.

Those of us who grew up in the church have grown up hearing and learning the verse Philippians 4:13 for most of our lives.  Even those people who are new to the church, will know this verse or at least recognize it. 

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength"....or as I learned it "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength".

We grow up reading this verse, memorizing this verse, repeating it and hearing it over and over again.  But how far does it really reach into our hearts and minds?

This has been the case for me.  As I was writing about how I tend to dwell on my failures and inadequacies, I realized that there are two little words that have become such a huge part of my existence that I don't think I have ever really realized the impact they have had on my life, and this very day, this very hour and this very minute.

What are those words?  "I CAN'T".

I think that so often today those two words are thrown around with so little regard for their power.  As I was writing, this hit me exceptionally hard this morning.  The more I thought about it and wrote about it, the more I realized how often I use these words and how much they define my life.

I CAN'T deal with this situation anymore.

I CAN'T handle all of life's circumstances.

I CAN'T keep up with all the housework.

I CAN'T find balance to meet everyone's needs.

I CAN'T be as faithful or strong as that person, no matter how hard I try.

I CAN'T be the mom I want to be because I don't know how or am frustrated.

The list could go on forever.  Minor things, major things.  And while some things may never be fully achieved, at least the way that WE think that they should, simply thinking those words can have more power over you than you consider possible.  Those words become common.  The more common they become, the more they play like a tape in our mind.

"I CAN.......do all things through him who gives me strength."  In almost every version that I have looked at, the verse begins with those two words.

To me that meant something.  Yes, Christ is going to give me strength when I ask for it, but I also have to believe that with all the strength I am capable of.  I CAN.  I have to allow the words "I CAN'T" to be erased from the tape in my mind and replace them with the words I CAN.

Why?  Because Christ will give me the strength that I need, but I have to actually believe it.  He could give it to me, but I could be my human self and not accept it, or be blinded by circumstance and not see it.

Psalm 28:8 says "The Lord is the strength of his people...",  Isaiah 40:29 states "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."  And in Psalm 29:11 it says again, "The Lord gives strength to his people."

I am his people.  He means me.  He gives me strength so that I CAN.  And believe me, there are many things that I need to be doing that I fear I can't.  Being faithful, watching my mouth, controlling my temper, or getting healthy by eating right and exercising and...(confession time) quitting smoking. Then, of course, there is the regular day to day things like laundry, dishes, cleaning, you get the picture. 

Believing Him, believing His words and His truths, day by day.  That is the struggle...

I CAN, because He says I can!