Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (Ephesians 6:10, ESV)
A life of faith is not an easy life. Choosing to follow Jesus and to live differently from what most of the world calls normal will lead you into battles. Some people misunderstand the Christian life and think it’s rainbows, potlucks, side-hugs and singing Kumbaya. But, if that were the case, this passage of Scripture would be completely unnecessary.
The truth is that it can be hard to be faithful. Any given day will bring challenges. Some small. Some large. Some simply annoying. Some potentially devastating. The key to persevering through it all is to be armed and ready for what we’re going to be facing.
The next few days will tell us more about getting armed and ready for battle, but before we get to that, it’s good for us to be reminded at the start to BE STRONG. Being weak in battle will not go well. Being strong in battle is what we need to be. Here’s the best part. Our strength doesn’t come from how strong we are, but it comes from how strong God is.
Look at the verse again. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Over and over again God demonstrates that He is able and mighty. There’s nothing that intimidates Him. There’s nothing He’s worried about. It should be comforting that the verse doesn’t say, “Be strong in yourself and in the strength of your might.”
When the battles come, remember you’re strong enough…not just because of the strength you’ve developed, but because of the mightiness of God who loves you, knows what you need and fights for you.
Questions for Reflection
How have you experienced difficulty in being faithful?
What helps you when times are hard?
How have you experienced being strong IN THE LORD?
How do you struggle to rely on His strength and not your own?
Please remember to let us know if we can answer any questions you might have, connect you with resources for help of any kind or pray for you.