It can be difficult to rely on God’s strength when we go through difficult times. When we see a mismatch between our strength and the battles we are facing, if we are relying on our own strength, we are either trying everything we possibly can to make the problem go away, or we are so anxious that we are unable to take one step ahead. We all have different ways of relying on ourselves. How about this one? Relying on God’s strength through self-determination! It should be obvious that self-determination to rely on God’s strength is relying on our own strength. Strangely, we can be deceived in the midst of trouble. What can we do to rely more on God’s strength? As I have been reading Joshua (1-12), I noticed the many times God gave Joshua great victories, more than anything he could have managed on his own, and the surrounding nations recognized that God was with the Israelites. That made me ask - how many times have I received tangibly greater blessings than what I deserved? I could count several instances of God’s grace. Whether it was an achievement, a relationship, or an opportunity, I could see God’s hand grant me more than I was capable of on my own. When we meditate on moments of God’s past grace that surpassed our own effort , we can see the futility of striving excessively in our own strength. When God allows trouble, as we rely more on Him, He is glorified and we are blessed. Rather than self-determination, we have promises of God’s grace (Phil 4:4-7) and our own past to reflect on to recognize God’s hand, to begin to rely on God’s strength. How great will be the growth of our faith in God when we experience the results of relying on Him!
Great points! And it reminds me of:
Ephesians 3:14–21 (ESV): For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Here is the example of God’s lavish grace on our lives, and a reminder that the glory all goes to him anyway and not to us. Therefore we don’t need to strive because the goal should always be and only be God’s glory.
Thanks @alison for sharing this beautiful verse. The truth in Eph 3:20 is exemplified in the life of Joshua (Joshua 23:9-10). It makes me want to reflect on the many other stories in the Bible where God far exceeds human expectations. Paul’s prayer shows how it begins with faith and it is the work of the Spirit in our hearts that gives us the strength we are looking for. Recognizing that God’s strength is free to those who come to Him, we need to seek it more in prayer. When I go through trials, I am prone to ask why and how long but God may simply be seeking for me to grow in His strength for the work he has planned.