Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. – Ephesians 6:10
Have you ever walked through a gym and had a very muscular man or woman walk past you? The sight of their large muscles indicates the capacity of their physical strength. However, all muscles are useless if they are never used. In the same way, you have spiritual muscles from God that are useless if you do not exercise on them.
Before concluding his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul encouraged the believers there to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). Just as a person cannot build muscles by talking about working out, you are unable to experience God’s strength and might in your life by simply talking about it. On the other hand, you will not experience God’s strength by trying to do work under your own power. It is only through relying on God first, and then doing the work, that His might will strengthen you. And as you increasingly learn to rely on Him, God’s strength in you will also grow.
This requires humility, as you must admit that you cannot do it all and learn to depend on the Lord. This can be especially difficult for Americans, as the culture places a value on self-reliance and working as hard as possible to gain achievements. As you spend time in prayer, ask God to show you how to walk the challenging path of relying on His strength while doing the work He has called you to.
Comments