Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)
Question: If learning something always begins with not
knowing how to do that thing (and it does), and the secret of contentment is, “I can do all things through him who
strengthens me” (and it is), how do we learn to attach to people where
attachments are broken (and they are)?
Answer: by welcoming any relationships God brings us where
we do not know how to attach to the people involved, accepting that Jesus will
strengthen us, and teach us how to attach.
Consideration: Broken relationships must be one of the
scariest things for us to deal with. We are hurt most by those we most want to
be with. Road rage from some stranger on the highway doesn’t hurt the way
explicit rejection from a loved one cuts us to the core.
However, when Paul spoke about “all things,” he had his
share of broken relationships, people trying to kill him, enduring unjust
treatment because of false testimonies against him. Because of what Jesus meant
to him, he was able to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4), because Jesus
was the constant who gave Paul life.
How do we look at attaching in broken relationships when the
people we are expected to attach to seem in worst condition than ourselves? We
agree with God that even this fits into the parameters of the “all
things” Paul speaks about, which means that we “can do” the attachment work from our side because of who it is who
strengthens us.
The secret? It is in the relationship of “through”. We are free to look in the
mirror and say that, “with man this is
impossible” (Matthew 19:26). As Jesus said, “blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). However, we must
then fix our eyes on Jesus, and consider that, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Since the “all things”
we can do applies to everything we don’t know how to do, and the measure of
success is on “him who strengthens me,” and
the measure of strength in Jesus is unlimited, the key is that we learn
attachments “through” Jesus. We go
into broken relationships with Jesus, relating to people through him,
experiencing him strengthening us as we pursue healing through him.
It should be no surprise when God presents us with
situations we don’t know how to handle, or with relationship requirements we
have never learned. After all, he is working every day to transform us into the
image of Jesus Christ from one degree of glory to another (II Corinthians 3:18),
so we must expect this to include daily experiences of things we have never
learned.
However, Paul was clear that he had “learned” to be content, and had “learned” the secret of doing all things through Jesus who
strengthened him. His example is just as doable for us as for him since the one
who strengthens us today is the same one who strengthened him then.
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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