Philippians 4:13 English Standard Version (ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

This is absolutely true.

John 5:30 English Standard Version (ESV) I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

This is true also.

In the first case it is Paul that is speaking to those things that he is doing. In the second case Jesus is speaking of the things He is doing.

What Paul did not say that should be a given is that Paul was sent. We have a tendency to forget after some time that comments about what servants of God are doing are direct answers to being sent to do the will of the Father. In this regard we are no different than Jesus. We should not do anything on our own.

The reason I say this is because humans can get so inspired that we can get caught up in the act of doing. It feels good to be doing good. We can get so caught up in the doing that we forget that this is first and foremost a relationship.

Jesus said it by saying He sought the Father’s will. How He knew the Father’s will was in communion with the Father. He checked in nightly with the Father, alone. Then He would come back to minister to mankind.

Galatians 2:2 English Standard Version (ESV) I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.

Even Paul, our most prolific epistle writer, admits that he got so busy in doing that he had to check in to be sure he was still on track. He was sent a revelation which caused him to check in with others that were servants of Christ. What that revelation was exactly we may never know but knowing God as I do, it was with purpose.

Here is another way to say it in common terms, “when in doubt shout!”

Another way of saying all this is, “do not get so confident in what you are doing that you do not check back in with your instructor.”