How to be Strong for God
In our lives so focused on independence, we can be left wondering how to be strong for God?
“Mommy, look how thick I am,” my five-year-old daughter said while looking at herself flexing in the mirror.
“You look thick?” I asked, confused. She’s an average five-year-old, and in my mind, I thought she was pointing out a quality she thought was bad in herself.
“Yeah, thick,” she said confidently. “My muscles are so strong!”
“Oh yes,” I said, realization dawning. “You are very fit, and your muscles are so strong!”
This conversation has been on repeat for a few months now. She loves to look in the mirror and flex and remark on how strong she is and how strong she wants to be.
If I’m honest with myself, I feel the same way. I want to be strong. I want to be capable and independent and able to handle any little thing that life throws my way.
I want to be strong for God.
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more here.
How to be Strong for God
With our physical bodies, we build strength by regularly exercising and gradually increasing the intensity of what we’re doing. This builds endurance, and slowly, we are able to do more for longer periods of time.
The same can be said for our spiritual lives, but with one major difference: we aren’t strong for God, but rather, we are strong in God.
Rest in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
In my human mind, I need to do things for God so that I can be strong enough to be used by Him. This is the opposite of what God calls for our lives.
According to Corinthians, we are only strong when we are weak. God’s power can be used in us when we recognize our weaknesses and hand them over to Him.
We don’t need to prove ourselves or do anything – we just need to rest in Him.
Abide in Him.
John 15:4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot bear fruit by our own efforts. Fruit can only come from God.
So no matter how hard I work to produce results in my life, the results belong to the Lord. All I can do is abide in Christ, and He will point me to the tasks I need to do. The rest is up to Him.
Pray and take action.
Nehemiah 4:9
And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
When we are working for God, we are going to be met with opposition. Unfortunately for me, when I’m met with opposition, I sometimes start to question whether or not I’m truly on God’s path for me. I erroneously think that if it’s hard, it’s not from God.
As I grow in my faith, I’m learning that the opposite is true. It is difficult to pick up my cross daily, and God doesn’t always ask for the easiest things. Following Him can be difficult. So once we recognize that it will be difficult and opposition will come, we can move forward in prayer and action.
When Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall, he was met with dangerous opposition and hostility. In response, the people prayed and they took action by posting a guard to watch over them.
When we are met with opposition on God’s path, we can follow the same model. We need to pray first and take action second.
Dear God, thank you so much for your guidance in our lives. We are grateful that the way to be strong for you is to simply be in you. We are grateful that your power in our lives resides in our weakness and all we have to do is rest in that.
We are grateful for the opportunity to abide in you, and we are grateful that all fruit comes from you, not from our own strength. Thank you for the opportunity to pray, as well as the ability to take action when we are met with opposition. We are truly grateful for your strength in us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I like to think that I am a strong person, which can leave me wondering how to be strong for God. I am grateful that we don’t have to be strong for God and that our strength comes from being in God. I can take responsibility for my actions, but all fruit comes from abiding in Him. Praise to God for that.
Blessings Friend.
Want to remember the prayers you’ve had and the answers you’ve received? Sign up below to receive the free prayer journal. You’ll also get access to my library, full of free printable and cut files. Sign up below!
