It’s not a stretch to say that some Bible verses loom larger than others. They’re the ones we have hanging on our walls or tattooed on our arms. They’re the verses of Scripture that we love, we memorize, we cling to. But have you ever stopped to consider: “What about the verse after the verse?” I mean, there’s Scripture that immediately follows all of our favorite, most well-known verses. And in many cases, the verse after the verse grants us a deeper understanding of the context and meaning of these well-known passages, and how they apply to our lives. It’s time we stop settling for a sliver of Scripture, and open our minds and spirits to the fullness of God’s message to us through his Word.

Outside of John 3:16, there may not be a more memorable verse than the one found in Philippians 4:13. Paul writes: “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” It’s a wonderful declaration about the power of God. But as we continue reading, we find out that help doesn’t just come from God above us—help comes from friends around us.