«BY THE POWER THAT CHRIST GIVES ME»
«l have strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me».
Philippians 4:13
IN 1903, Ellen G. White was seventy-five years old—she had spent fifty-nine of them in ministry—and had written twenty-two books. Among those books were best-sellers like The Great Controversy and Steps to Christ. One might expect Mrs. White to have been enjoying a well-deserved retirement and for her financial needs to have been met. However, on July 19 of that year, she wrote a letter to her son Edson in which she mentioned she was «very short of funds,» did not have any money in the bank, and had overdrawn her account. Then she added, «l hope that some money will come in soon» (Letter 150, 1903).
Despite the financial crisis through which she was going, there are no complaints about God’s providence in Ellen White’s letter. In the following paragraphs, she expressed her gratefulness because she was enjoying good health, had a good appetite, and could take a cold or hot bath. Then she added, «l thank the Lord for the good health that I enjoy. I thank Him that He has preserved my reasoning powers. I know that this is a miracle wrought by His mercy.» At the end of her life, Mrs. White’s financial situation improved, but her health deteriorated.
Many of us can identify with what Ellen G. White experienced. Our life oscillates between abundance and need. Sometimes we will have more than enough money to meet all our needs, and other times we will have no money and will have to tighten our belts to get to the end of the month, but we should always believe God is with us to strengthen us.
Paul told the brethren in Philippi, «l have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me» (Philippians 4:11-13, GNT).
Like Ellen White, you will also go through stages of abundance and need, health and sickness, life and death . . . and Christ will give you strength to live through them in faith. You can face anything with Christ: both health and abundance (each with their own temptations), as well as needs, illnesses, and death. That, in itself, is a wonderful miracle.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernández