HOW TO FIND YOUR STRENGTH

Most of us need or want to live with great confidence, energy, strength. Not just in a physical sense, but we desire to have more energy to live the full life we know that God has called us to. We know that we need more strength for the journey ahead.So we are often in search of strength; looking for the secret, the key, the formula strength. If this was an infomercial I'd say something like, "And me and a team of researchers have found that secret!!" haha! But for real, there is a verse in Ephesians that gives us a key to the strength we need.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ NIV)

This is a great chapter that talks about putting on the armor of God for defense and offense, and then Paul calls us to BE STRONG. Some may feel like this is easier said than done, or that it may trivialize your struggle, but it depends on whether you accurately read the next part of that verse.Paul does call us to be strong, but he calls us to be strong IN the Lord and IN his mighty power.

Strength comes from BEING IN, not BEING FOR.

Most of us struggle finding the strength because most of the time we are trying to look inside ourselves for the strength rather than throwing ourselves fully and completely into Him.

The power is IN JESUS — not in you.

We often want to impress Jesus by trying to show our strength, or we strive to earn his love by working hard FOR Jesus. But our strength is from Him and In him. The greater connection we have to Jesus the greater our strength will be.

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. — John 15:4-5

So, today, if you find yourself needing strength or feeling like your falling short of the power you need, don't run to the gym, run to Jesus. Often our metaphorical gym can be to try harder, work longer, be better, but those all fall short. In the above verses Jesus calls us to "remain" in him. It's the concept literally choosing to live in him, and having him live in you!What an incredible invite from Jesus to all of us! Let's spend time with God today and allow him to live in us through spending time in worship, and through time reading his words to us in the Bible.

"be strong IN the Lord"