Plugging into the Source
Do you get caught in the trap of “trying harder?”
Verse of the Day
‘We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,’
Today’s Devotional
There is a certain supply and demand that applies to my life. I need at least 7 hours of sleep at night to function like a rational human the next day. I require more protein than most people in order to not have a headache. I need time with people to feel alive. I need time alone to decompress. I need the major items on my to-do list checked off before I can relax.
Then there is God’s economy, which does not really make sense to the human brain. In God’s economy, 5+2=5,000+12. (See Mark 6:30-44) It doesn’t make sense, but that doesn’t make it untrue.
So in God’s economy, any and all endurance and patience I have come from Him. You’ve probably heard it said, “Never pray for patience.” I’ve done it, and I can’t say that it’s a pleasant process. But I’ve never equated my patience or my endurance as coming directly from God. I still get caught in the trap of “trying harder.” I get caught in that trap a lot.
So how do I get strengthened by God’s glorious power? This goes back to yesterday’s thoughts…I must spend time with God. I have this mental picture of my life being like a lamp. Think of any lamp in your home. That lamp can have all the strength and will and might in the world, but if it is not plugged into the power outlet on the wall, it’s bulb will not glow. It cannot fulfill its intended purpose without plugging into its source of power. And so it goes with us. Everyday, I must choose to “plug in” to the power of God. By doing so, I can fulfill my intended purpose. Without plugging into the power of God, my life will never shine.
The benefits of plugging into our Power Source are more numerous than endurance and patience. This verse includes joy. So as I endure hardships in this life, and as I learn to have patience with other broken humans, I can still be joyful. That also doesn’t compute with human thinking, but God says it is true, so I choose to believe Him.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How can you plug into God as your source of power today?
Where do you need endurance?
Where do you need patience?
Where do you need joy?
How can you rely on God for those needs?