One of the best-known, best-loved verses from Paul’s letter to the Philippians can be found on posters, plaques, T-shirts, and keepsakes. You can find them on the Internet or in a Christian bookstore (that is, if you can find a Christian bookstore). It’s Philippians 4:13, often rendered as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Of course, that’s not exactly what the verse says. For example, Paul doesn’t explicitly say “Christ.” As the New Revised Standard translates it, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The creators of the keepsakes insert “Christ” for clarity, and rightfully so.

What, though, are these “things” we’re empowered to do? What I’m going to say may sound obvious, or like I’m being picky. But it’s important that we understand what Paul does and doesn’t mean by “all things.”

Note how the New International Version translates the verse: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Or the Common English Bible: “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” Although Paul’s Greek is ambiguous, both of these translations take Paul as referring back to what he said before — the situations of being “full or hungry,” of “having plenty or being poor” (vs. 12, CEB).

If that’s the correct way of reading it (and I believe it is), then Paul isn’t saying that God, through the Spirit of Christ, will empower us to do anything and everything. And obviously, God won’t empower us to do things that are against his will — even if we think we’re doing it for the right reasons.

Rather, Paul says this in the context of explaining why the gift the Philippians sent is greatly appreciated but not really necessary: he’s not as distressed as they might imagine, despite his chains, because he has learned to rely upon God’s strength to get him through every situation. Whether things are going well or poorly, Paul leans on the power of God.

In essence, Paul is not saying that he can do anything but that he can endure anything. His t-shirt might read, “With God giving me strength, I can take whatever life dishes out.”

As suggested in earlier posts, some readers are disturbed that Paul waits until the end of the letter to say thank you for the gift the Philippians sent. But we’re in a position now to suggest why he might have done so.

The entire letter is built on the foundation of a close and caring friendship. His gratitude for their friendship and partnership is evident right from the beginning, even if he doesn’t explicitly acknowledge the gift. But the letter is more than a thank-you note; it uses the occasion of saying thank you as an opportunity to address their needs and worries.

And in order to do that, he tells them how he handles his needs. Once again, he offers himself as an example for them to follow, even as he does something as mundane as saying thanks for a gift. It’s as if to say, I truly appreciate the gift; it gives me joy to know you’re thinking of me! At the same time, I want you to know that I’m not distressed, despite my circumstances, because I’ve learned how to endure everything — good or bad — with God’s power. And I would hope the same for you, as you learn to cope with your situation. You can know the peace of God, you can quell your anxiety, if you learn as I have to lean on God’s power.

With God giving us the strength, we can endure whatever life throws at us. The list of possible struggles may be long. But the grace of God is greater.