Dear One,
Pssssst. Over here. Come closer.
Shhhhh. Lean in now. I have a secret to tell you.
Something I’ve learned.
The secret of facing life …
I wonder how many beatings, jailings & shipwrecks the Apostle Paul endured before penning such words.
I wonder how much ‘life’ he had already faced and what the learning process entailed.
I wonder how long it took before the secret finally revealed itself to him.
Regardless, he willingly shared it. Brought it right out into the open. And friend? It’s quite the find!
“I have learned the secret of facing life …”
Do tell, Paul, we’re all ears!!
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens and empowers me …
I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who
infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.”
Philippians 4:11-14 (Amplified Bible)
Friend, an infusion (frequently used for pain management) is the direct delivery of liquid medicine through a vein.
In other words, it’s something that gets under the surface of our skin, infiltrating our insides, delivering what we need so we can deal with what we have.
An infusion of strength & peace: Paul’s secret to facing life.
Hook me up, Jesus!!
Sometimes people go to a hospital for an infusion. It’s a one-time thing. But there’s something called an infusion pump for those with chronic pain. It stays with them. It’s a constant drip, drip, drip of what they need in order to face the life they have.
I’m thinking Paul had the pump. A daily drip, yes?!
A daily drip of inner strength and confident peace from an Ever-present God.
Who needs coffee?
Paul says with this daily drip he’s not disturbed or uneasy. He knows how to get along in difficult times. He’s ready for and equal to anything (v.11-13).
Are we sure this isn’t coffee??
Paul says with this drip, “I can do all things.”
In the original language, “All things” means each & every part – one piece at a time.
One piece at a time. Well there’s yet another secret to facing life, amen?
A daily drip and a day at a time. Yep. That’ll see us through alright.
Facing Life: Our Little Life Words of the Week.
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DEEPER DIVE
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Ponder:
- How would an infusion of inner strength & confident peace help you face life?
- What’s a secret you’ve found for facing life?
Practice:
- This week, tell someone a secret you’ve found for facing life (and ask them for theirs). Add a twist of fun by sharing it via the game Telephone / Whisper Down the Lane.
- As you make a cup of coffee or tea, think about the process of infusion. As you sip & savor, drink deep of God’s strength & peace as well.
Play:
- Our song of the week is for the young & young at heart: I Can Do All Things by Kids Worship. Bonus points for doing the motions ;).
- If you’re not up for a kids song, I recommend Even If by Mercy Me.
Pray:
- Each morning this week, ask God to pour His power & peace into you. Sit, settle, and soak it in.
Friend, there’s a daily drip for our daily grind and that’s good news indeed!!
Now off you go with a blessing from Paul himself:
“May you be filled up throughout your being to all the fullness of God,
so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded.” Ephesians 3:19 (Amplified Bible)